Exploring police corruption and its impact on the human rights of offenders a case study of Kasoa Central East Region of the Ghana Police Service

Abstract

Police corruption is a global issue with various forms like bribery, extortion and abuse of power, affecting professional ethics and legal integrity, public trust and law enforcement efficiency. Despite the broader understanding of this issue, there's a notable gap in research on the relationship between police corruption and human rights violations of offenders in Ghana, necessitating further investigation for informed policymaking and scholarly exploration. A qualitative research approach, supplemented by a case study design, was used in this study to delve into the intricate nature of police corruption and its ensuing effects on offenders’ human rights. Rigorous semi-structured interviews with ten participants were interviewed, all of whom were carefully selected using purposeful sampling techniques. Following data gathering, a thematic analysis using coding was carried out to distil the findings and encourage scholarly discussions. The study found that there's a violation of the procedural rights of offenders as well as not being informed about reasons for arrest and ensuring fair trial processes. Again, the study found that the sanctity of the justice system, particularly the right to a fair trial, is being compromised by corrupt practices, leading to potential miscarriages of justice. The study concluded that corruption and breaches in professional ethics have significantly eroded public trust in the police, challenging the core of democratic policing. Therefore, the study recommends that community policing must be strengthened to boost trust between the police and the community. If further recommends establishing an independent police oversight committee to review corruption allegations and provide unbiased investigations.