The weapons the suspects allegedly used
Some suspected Ga youth, reportedly numbering about 20, have been nabbed for attacking the Abeka branch of the Assemblies of God Church in Accra.
The arrested persons have been identified as Nii Djanii, Hammond Djanii, Rogger Vandapuye, Emmanuel Dzatta, Asafoatse Allotey Dzatta and Rogger Afo Parckson.
They were grabbed by the congregation and taken to the Tesano police station Sunday morning.
The church was alleged to have defied a one-month ban on noise making imposed by the traditional authorities of the Ga State.
The youth purportedly attacked the members with cutlasses, pliers, spanners, pieces of stick and iron rods while service was ongoing. Some musical instruments were destroyed in the process.
According to information, the attackers went to the church premises with intent to seize the musical instruments but ended up attacking the members.
Eyewitness accounts indicated that while members were busily worshiping God, the gang, in two vehicles – a Nissan Urvan with registration number GR-1247-D and a Kia pick-up registered GN-4284-11 – descended on the church and launched the attack.
The members attempted to prevent them from destroying the instruments and in the process, two of the members got injured.
The Tesano Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Oduro Amaning, told this paper that at about 11:40 am on Sunday, a pastor of the church, identified as Stephen Kofi Okoi, and other policemen from the CID headquarters arrested and brought the six suspects to the station to lodge a complaint against them.
According to the complainants, the suspects forced their way into the church and complained that the members were making noise, despite the ban on noise making, and ended up attacking two members.
The weapons the suspects were alleged to have used, including the vehicles, were later recovered by the police.
Meanwhile, the suspects have been granted police enquiry bail, according to Chief Superintendent Oduro Amaning, as investigation continues.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey
(lindatenyah@gmail.com)