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Mr. Emmanuel Horlatsu, the Northern Regional Coordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, said investigations have commenced over an assault case brought against a top DOVVSU official in Tamale, Chief Inspector Lawrence Adombire. Chief Inspector Adombire, who heads the Tamale Metropolitan office of DOVVSU, allegedly assaulted one Madam Felicia Abachire in his office. The woman was said to have responded to a DOVVSU invitation, after her former husband allegedly lodged a complaint of assault against her. While answering questions from Ester Quarcoo, the investigator, Madam Abachire sought know if the complainant, Sulemana Seidu, showed them evidence of burns or bruises on his body. The question provoked the DOVVSU official, who then crossed over from his desk to his officer�s and brutally assaulted the woman. Madam Abachire fell on her knees after receiving three simultaneous slaps from the police officer for asking the investigator a question. The DOVVSU boss after the assault allegedly ordered the woman to sit down and never to ask further questions or face more beatings. But the woman was unable to continue her interaction with the investigator because her right cheek had swollen. A police medical form was subsequently issued to the woman who after going through medical examination at the Tamale Central Hospital was found to have had an injury on her right ear, which has affected her hearing ability. The Regional DOVVSU boss, who confirmed the story when contacted, said detail investigation is under way and that he had since issued administrative query to his immediate lieutenant to answer the charges. He said a police docket had also been prepared and the officer in question would have to go through the legal processes to prove his innocence. Mr. Horlatsu said, �This is not the first time an assault case is brought against the officer. I have directed an officer to commence investigations into the matter. However, I am taking administration procedures against the officer. Such thing should not happen in DOVVSU office.� The Regional DOVVSU boss, who looked worried, described the situation as unfortunate and that whether it is true of not, such impression should never emanate from a DOVVSU office. �Four similar complaints of assault were brought against the same officer, we cannot encourage that, as a special unit of Ghana Police Service�, he said. But Inspector Adombire had denied the allegation of assault, saying that he was rather virtually consoling the woman and did not know his consolation could be misconstrued to mean assault. He said as an office in-charge of a special unit of the police, he can never do a thing like that. He also confirmed that similar assault charges were brought against him by some complainants but when the dockets of each case were examined he was exonerated. The Inspector is sure that he would be exonerated in this case too, boasting that he was not disturbed at all. �Somebody want things to be done the way he/she thinks but anytime you take that step to correct them they turn to accuse you of assault,� he said. �I rebuked her husband (Abachire) the same way when he came to lodge the complaint. In any case, the separation of their marriage was determined by the court. The man was supposed to be giving the children some money so at the time he was visiting the women�s house, he should have called the police, but he never did and went there alone, so I rebuked him too. Till date he never came to follow up with the complaint he made before us,� he said. Narrating her experience to journalists in Tamale, madam Abachire said the incident occurred on December 24, the eve of Christmas, last year. She said her former husband, one Sulemana Seidu, visited her home and threatened to take the children away, resulting in argument between them. She said Seidu assaulted her and her daughter, and suspecting she would lodge a police complaint quickly he went to report that she rather attacked him and poured hot water on him. The disagreement ensued between her and her former husband on December 23, last year, then when she responded to the DOVVSU invitation her ordeal doubled on the 24 December, 2013 when the police officer assaulted. �While interacting with the police woman, the Chief Inspector left his desk and crossed over to where I was seated. He told me to shut up and that I was a liar. In the ensuing disagreement with him, he slapped me three times resulting in my swollen jaw and sharp pains on right ear,� she claimed. At the time of filing this report, it was learnt Chief Inspector Adombire had gone to apologize to the victim and pleaded for mercy from her.