The Catholic Church has berated the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for what the church says was a “lackadaisical” in bringing the perpetrators of the “unjustified” brutal attack on three Catholic priests at Nkwanta in the Oti Region on December 11, 2024.
The three Catholic priests, who are all expatriates were performing missionary duties when they were confronted by some indigenes, who accused them of stealing equipment meant for the state, and instantly gave them some beatings resulting in injuries to them
The three priests, all Indian nationals are based at Kpassa in the Nkwanta-North District and have been there since 2005,
They are Father Robinson Melkis, Father Henry Jacob and Father Martin George all belonging to Franciscan Capuchin Friars.
The brutal attack has led to Fr Henry Jacob developing a broken left eardrum and has since been flown to India for treatment.
The IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare has already personally responded to the issue for the priests to be taken care of at the Police Hospital in Accra and the Korle bu Teaching Hospital also in Accra.
But in an eight point statement issued on Monday, December 30, 2024 by by the Catholic Bishop of Jasikan Diocese, Most Reverend Gabriel Akwasi Mante, the church accused the police of adopting a “lackadaisical” posture in bringing the perpetrators who are all known people in the area to book.
The church said it was wondering whether the IGP was shirking his duty due to the fact that the three Catholic priests are Indians and not Ghanaians.
Most Reverend Gabriel Akwasi Mante explained that the priests were fueling a bulldozer they had hired from the Nkwanta-South Municipal Assembly at the cost of GH¢9,700 to level up the project site for the construction of a Formation House at Chaiso.
While fueling the bulldozer, they were pounced upon by a mob and brutally assaulted without any provocation.
Up till now the Catholic Church was lamenting that there has been no arrest and the culprits are walking about freely.
“We stand to be corrected if the Ghana Police Service headed by Dr Akuffo Dampare was aware of the disgrace and far-reaching sour relationships that could develop between the Governments of Ghana and India if the culprits are not arrested and brought to justice” he asked.
To the Church, the IGP who has been able to unravel more complicated crime cases than this was unjustifiably delaying the process.
“Is it that the IGP who swiftly responded to the unacceptable crime by offering initial healthcare to the priests has suddenly forgotten this gross injustice meted out to the priest”, he asked.
He called on the government to put effective mechanisms in place to check and bring an end to violence and needless attacks on citizens and legal residents after elections.
“The canker seems to be unfortunately becoming a disgraceful unwritten law in the country,” he said.