Ibrahim Mahama to take legal action against Black Maria

Ghanaian visual artist Ibrahim Mahama has announced plans to pursue legal action against operatives of the Black Maria unit, the Special Operations Team under the Inspector-General of Police, over an alleged assault he describes as severe and unjustified.

He stressed that those involved must be held accountable.

Addressing a press conference in Tamale, Mahama stated that the incident left him with significant injuries and forced him to cancel a series of important international engagements.

He emphasised that the matter would not be overlooked, underscoring the need for accountability.

Providing details on the impact, Mahama explained that the injuries had disrupted both his health and professional schedule.

“That evening, I was meant to travel to the UK because I had to go and give some lectures in some schools from Cambridge to Oxford to the Royal College in London, and also continue to Helsinki for work and then to Amsterdam and then to South Africa before coming home,” he said.

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“But all those trips have to be cancelled, and I don't think I can even travel for the next month because the last few days I have not even eaten solid food because my lips are all bruised, and three of my teeth are broken, I have sores in my mouth.”

He added that the incident had effectively brought his life to a standstill, stating, “Currently, it has put my entire life on hold.”

Mahama further raised concerns about the conduct of the unit, alleging that similar incidents had been reported in the past.

“Of course, we've heard many stories about the same unit and the brutalities,” he said. “That’s why they could say that we could kill you and nothing will happen.”

He cautioned that failure to address such actions could discourage young people from contributing meaningfully to the country.

“If at the end of the day, through these brutal actions, a lot of us young people will not feel like we need to stay in a place like this, then it’s rather on the bad side of justice,” he said.

Mahama confirmed that legal proceedings are being considered, describing them as both necessary and inevitable.

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“Certainly, we are considering legal action. It’s very important. It’s a no-brainer. We have to do it,” he said.

“It’s not for me, but it’s actually for everyone else because if this could happen to me, as well-known as I am, then what about the people on the street?”

“Who’s going to speak for that person? So, we have to do it for the benefit of the collective society that we’re in,” he said.

The Black Maria unit has, however, denied the allegations.

In its response, the team stated that the incident occurred during a traffic enforcement operation involving a driver who allegedly failed to comply with instructions.

The unit also released a video showing a man identified as Mahama’s uncle appealing to officers. However, Mahama dismissed the footage, claiming it had been manipulated to “garner public sympathy.”

According to Mahama, the incident occurred on Saturday morning in Tamale as he was returning from the mosque. He is the founder of the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA) and CEO of Red Clay.