The Ghana Police Service has transferred investigations into the alleged assault on renowned visual artist Ibrahim Mahama to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters.
The decision follows a meeting on March 26, 2026, between the Inspector-General of Police, members of the Police Management Board and Mr Mahama.
The incident is reported to have occurred on March 21, 2026, as Mr Mahama was returning from Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at a mosque in Tamale. His vehicle was stopped near the Mariam Hotel junction, where what was described as a routine check allegedly escalated into a confrontation.
Mr Mahama claimed that officers from the IGP’s Special Operations Team, known as the Black Maria, entered his bus, forced him to unlock his phone and deleted footage he had taken, after which he was assaulted.
He reported injuries including a broken tooth, cut lips, rib pain and recurring headaches, and was treated at a private health facility in Tamale.
At a press conference on March 23, 2026, Mr Mahama said the incident had disrupted his schedule, leading to the postponement of lectures at the Royal College of Art, the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, as well as planned trips to Helsinki, Amsterdam and South Africa. He said he would take legal action against the officers involved.
Conflicting accounts
The police have, however, disputed his account. In a statement, Deputy Superintendent of Police Bawah Abdul Jalil described the incident as a traffic enforcement operation that escalated due to the conduct of a driver who blocked a busy road and refused to comply with police directives.
There have also been differing accounts within the police. The Northern Regional Police Command indicated that the Black Maria unit had been withdrawn from the region on March 5, 2026, and could not have been involved. In a separate statement, DSP Jalil maintained that the unit was present during the March 21 incident.
CID takes over investigation
The Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Commissioner of Police Grace Ansah-Akrofi, said the IGP had met Mr Mahama and listened to his account.
She said the IGP had directed the CID Headquarters to take over the criminal investigation from the Regional Command, while also instructing the Director-General of the Police Professional Standards Bureau to expedite a separate inquiry into the conduct of the officers involved.
“Any persons found culpable will be taken through the due process of the law,” ACP Ansah-Akrofi said.
She added that the Regional Command had earlier taken statements from Mr Mahama and his team, visited the scene and met him at his residence before the meeting.
The police have assured Mr Mahama of a thorough investigation and appealed to the public to remain calm.
Mr Mahama was ranked first on ArtReview Power 100 list in 2025, becoming the first African artist to achieve the feat. He is the founder of the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art, Red Clay Studio and Nkrumah Voli-ni, all based in Tamale.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh