Oliver Barker-Vormawor, the secretary of Ghana’s 11-member Constitution Review Implementation Committee (CRIC), has criticized the Ghana Police Service for their public notice requesting information on the whereabouts of Barbara Asantewaa Kodua, often known as “Ghana Jollof.”
Barker-Vormawor questioned the decision to publicly declare that the wanted person was last seen at Kotoka International Airport when, in his opinion, officials already knew she was outside of Ghana, calling the police action a “unnecessary public stunt.”
He questioned the value of disclosing the airport detail in a sharply worded social media post.
“You know the person is not in Ghana. You have come to write ‘last seen at Ghana International Airport’. Why, was the person cleaning the airport?” he asked.
The private legal practitioner, and governance expert argued that investigations of a serious nature should be handled through professional investigative processes and international cooperation rather than public announcements that, in his view, could undermine the image of the police.
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He further pointed to Ghana’s existing legal cooperation mechanisms with the United Kingdom, suggesting that authorities could have pursued the matter through established channels.
“If your investigations have pointed to someone; you have mutual legal assistance arrangements with the UK. Why not use that quietly? Why not pursue cooperation and extradition with UK authorities?” he wrote.
The activist expressed frustration over what he described as “substandard policing”, arguing that law enforcement should prioritise rigorous investigations and professional procedures.
“You have come to put this here online, without any shame. I am so tired of substandard policing,” he added.
Barker-Vormawor ended his post with a sarcastic remark directed at the police:
“If you want my last known location, I am in common sense. Come and find me. Shalom.”