Criminologist Raises Concerns Over Decline in Police Conviction Rates
Accra, Ghana – March 2025 – Professor Justice Tankebe, a criminology and criminal justice expert at the University of Cambridge, has expressed concern over the sharp decline in the conviction rate of police officers undergoing disciplinary proceedings during the tenure of former Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.
According to Prof. Tankebe, the conviction rate of officers under disciplinary hearings dropped significantly from 17% in 2020 to just 7% in both 2021 and 2022.
Call for Further Scrutiny
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, March 17, Prof. Tankebe called for a closer examination of the reasons behind this decline in accountability within the police force.
📌 “Another area that we have to consider is police professionalism, but it is difficult to get the data. But one data we can consider will be complaints against police officers, and that becomes interesting.”
He explained that complaints filed against police officers could serve as a measure of accountability and professionalism, raising concerns over the low proportion of complaints leading to convictions.
📌 “Unfortunately, the data that we have shows that in 2020, the proportion of officers who were convicted after disciplinary hearings was 17%, and that dropped to 7% in 2021 and 2022. So, there is an interesting discussion to be had as to why the sharp drop.”
New IGP Expected to Introduce Reforms
With the appointment of COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno as the new Inspector General of Police (IGP), expectations are high for reforms in disciplinary procedures, police professionalism, and public trust in law enforcement.
Many believe that improving police accountability will be a key priority in restoring confidence in the Ghana Police Service.
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