Kumasi High Court dismisses suit against IGP over police promotions

The High Court in Kumasi has dismissed a lawsuit brought by Chief Inspector Samuel Krah against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the State over promotions in the Ghana Police Service.

In the judgment delivered on Friday, June 14, 2024, Justice Kwasi Anokyi Gyimah stated that Chief Inspector Krah is not automatically eligible for promotion solely based on his higher academic achievements.

In September 2023, forty police Chief Inspectors sued the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. Geroge Akuffo Dampare, and the Attorney General, seeking, among others, an order of the court directed at the IGP and POMAB to promote them in line with the special amnesty granted to their colleagues.

According to their writ filed at a High Court in Kumasi, the officers averred that even though they have been out of the police training school since 2008 and obtained their university degrees as far back as 2020, the police administration has refused to give them the promotion due them.

However, in the judgment, the court held that the plaintiff did not meet the required standard of proof based on the preponderance of the evidence.

It also established that the plaintiff's achievement of a higher academic qualification alone does not guarantee a promotion. 

Again, the court affirmed that the process of entering the Police Academy depends on the recruitment method, which may involve a competitive examination or a special recommendation according to Police Service Regulations.

It was the case of the plaintiffs that despite being in the service for at most 30 years now, their colleagues who are juniors have rather been granted the special amnesty and have thus been promoted, they have been denied their entry to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police(ASP).

However, in its Statement of Defence, the state described the suit as lacking merit owing to the fact that such promotions do not fall within the powers of the IGP but the police council.

On the Special Amnesty, the defendant noted that it is a purely administrative policy decision exercised to meet the exigencies of the time to absorb graduate junior officers granted study leave or not per the criteria.