Human rights and the post-arrest treatment of suspects- a case study of the Kasoa Central East police command

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between human rights principles and the postarrest treatment of suspects in the Kasoa Central East Police Command in Ghana. The post-arrest phase is a legally and ethically sensitive stage of the criminal justice process, where protections for dignity, due process, and freedom from abuse are most vulnerable to infringement. Although Ghana’s constitutional framework and international treaty obligations provide clear safeguards, concerns persist about the consistency of their operational implementation at the command level. Adopting a qualitative case study design within an interpretivist paradigm, the study generated in-depth insights into postarrest practices and lived custodial experiences. Data were collected through purposive sampling of twelve (12) participants, comprising police officers and suspects. Semistructured interviews, supported by observations and document review, were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns related to procedural compliance, rights awareness, institutional constraints, and experiential outcomes. The findings reveal a complex relationship between formal human rights awareness and practical enforcement. While police officers demonstrated familiarity with constitutional and international human rights standards, implementation during the post-arrest phase was uneven and mediated by institutional culture, resource limitations, and operational pressures. Suspects reported experiences ranging from procedural compliance and respectful treatment to prolonged detention, coercive practices, and perceived psychological intimidation. The study identifies a significant gap between normative training and practical application, highlighting structural and organizational factors that shape rights outcomes beyond individual officer knowledge. The study concludes that post-arrest human rights protection within the Kasoa Central East Police Command cannot be assessed solely on the basis of formal legal compliance or training exposure. Rather, it is influenced by institutional capacity, supervisory mechanisms, enforcement orientation, and everyday police-suspect interactions. The research recommends strengthening practice-oriented human rights training, enhancing supervisory accountability at the command level, improving custodial infrastructure, and reinforcing independent oversight mechanisms to ensure consistent rights protection.