Police & Detention · Greater Accra
Deaths and injuries in police custody: the accountability gap
Families told us the same story: no independent post-mortem, no written record, and no officer named.
2 April 2026
Complaints about treatment in police custody are among the most common we receive, and among the hardest to resolve. Families describe being denied information about where a relative is held, being asked for money at each stage, and being unable to obtain a copy of any record.
Ghana's own framework is clear on paper: detainees must be brought before a court within 48 hours, and complaints can be made to the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau and to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice. In practice, the paperwork that would make a complaint provable is often the very thing withheld.
We help families write and file complaints, request records in the correct form, and keep their own copy of every document. If you have lost someone in custody, contact us.
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