The Ghana Police Service has officially moved the investigation into the alleged assault of world-renowned artist Ibrahim Mahama to the CID Headquarters.
This shift follows a high-stakes sit-down on March 26, 2026, where the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Police Management Board met directly with Mr. Mahama. According to ACP Grace Ansah-Akrofi, the IGP personally listened to Mahama’s side of the story before deciding the case needed to be handled at the highest level, pulling it from the Regional Command. At the same time, a parallel "internal affairs" inquiry has been fast-tracked to look into the conduct of the officers on the ground.
"Any persons found culpable will be taken through the due process of the law," ACP Ansah-Akrofi promised.
Before this meeting, local police had already visited the scene, gone to Mahama's home, and taken statements from him and his colleagues. Authorities are now asking the public to stay calm while they work to get to the bottom of what happened.
What happened that day?
The incident went down on March 21, 2026, just after Mr. Mahama finished Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at a mosque in Tamale. What was supposed to be a routine traffic stop near the Mariam Hotel junction reportedly spiraled out of control.
Mahama claims that officers from the "Black Maria" Special Operations Team stormed his bus, forced him to unlock his phone to delete recorded footage, and then physically attacked him. The injuries he reported are no small matter:
A broken tooth and cut lips.
Heavy rib pain and constant headaches.
Required treatment at a private clinic in Tamale.
During a press briefing on March 23, a visibly shaken Mahama explained that the trauma and physical injuries forced him to cancel a string of major international lectures at the University of Oxford, Cambridge, and the Royal College of Art, as well as trips to South Africa and Europe. He has made it clear he plans to sue.
A "He Said, She Said" Situation
The police aren't agreeing with every part of his story. DSP Bawah Abdul Jalil described the situation as a simple traffic enforcement exercise that got heated because of how the driver acted.
There is also a major contradiction regarding the "Black Maria" unit. While the Northern Regional Command insists that specific team was moved out of the region on March 5, DSP Jalil admitted they were actually present during the March 21 stop. The CID is now tasked with untangling these conflicting reports to find out what really happened on that road in Tamale.