The Northern Regional police command has cautioned whistle blowers in the region not to volunteer sensitive information to any officer at the police station.
The command is urging the public with information that will lead to the arrest of hardened criminals to rather approach top officers not those at the lower rank.
The command caution followed concerns raised by residents in the region on Zaa Weekend program ‘Behagu Malivu Saha’ that, they cannot assist the police in fighting crime.
Callers into the program made it clear to the spokesman of the police, Deputy Supritendent of Police (DSP) Mohammed Yussif Tanko that they don’t trust police and will not risk in volunteering information.
DSP Tanko during the program appealed the public to assist them find the killers of a police officer, Agatha Nana Nabin who was shot at Kumbungu road by unidentified gumen.
The gumen according to the police were driving register Ash saloon car with some of them in a military like uniform.
The residents expressed their sg9to the brave family and the entire police forces but urged the top hirachy to do self assessment and cleansing before they can help.
Some of the callers gave instances where they volunteered information to the police and later couldn’t sleep their homes because the bad nuts got to know who reported them to the police.
To ensure the preservation of public interest, rule of law as well as fighting crime, the Whistleblower Act, 2006 Act 720 was enacted.
The act provides that a whistle blower’s identity should not be revealed and any officer who do so risk landing a jail term.
Parts of the ACT says, “a person may make a disclosure of information where that person has reasonable cause to believe that the information tends to show a miscarriage of justice has occurred, is occurring or is likely to occur.”
But over the years, Ghanaians are reluctant to make good use of this law even if a bounty is placed on an issue.
This is because they don’t trust officers of the police service of not revealing their identity.
The police spokesman assured that the top hirachy has taken their concerns very serious and will and do all it could to build confidence for the public to have trust with them.
He advised whistle blowers to treat information with all seriousness it deserve. ” Don’t share it your friends, love ones and family members but top police officers.
If it is you and the officer and later yourife is being threatened you can hold the officer responsible”, he advised. ” We are human institution and obviously there will be some who can’t stick to the ethics”, DSP Tanko stated.
DSP Tanko also confirmed that fire arms are in civilians hands and said it will only take whistle blowers to help the security retrieve them.
He was not also happy what he called people assisting suspected criminals to resist arrest.
That phenomenon he added was strange to him and pleaded with the public to always allow the security to carry out their lawfu duty.
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