By Kwame Bediako
The Ghana Police Service’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested Dr Clemence Gyato as part of its investigation into the disputed demolition and alleged forceful takeover of the Accra Race Course at Borteyman. Gyato was picked up on Thursday, 10 September, and remains in custody assisting detectives working to identify who authorised the operation and how it was executed.
Police officer already interdicted
The arrest follows the interdiction of DSP Alhassan Malaika Jibril, a senior police officer accused of providing security cover and leading personnel during the demolition at the Accra Turf Club facility. The police have not disclosed the exact grounds for Gyato’s arrest but say the probe is focused on the legality of the exercise and the reported land grab.
“200 armed men, nine bulldozers”
The Accra Turf Club says on 22 August a large group, about 200 armed men arrived with heavy machinery, including an excavator and nine bulldozers, and razed more than 100 horse stables. 1084 Track railings and other infrastructure at the historic venue were also destroyed, the club says.
Protests and petitions
Outrage has grown within the horse racing community. On Thursday, stakeholders marched through Accra and delivered petitions to the Presidency, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Sports, demanding urgent intervention over the demolition and reported takeover.
Police caution on presumption of guilt
In its statement, the police stressed that Gyato’s arrest does not amount to a finding of criminal liability. Investigators are expected to examine the chain of command, documentation (if any) authorising the work, and the circumstances around the reported occupation of the racecourse.
