Remains of Patrick Mensah Agbenyo after he was shot.
A 30-year-old dock labourer was shot and killed by a Police Patrol Team of the Tema Regional Police Command yesterday at midnight at Tema Newtown in the Greater Accra Region.
The deceased, Patrick Mensah Agbenyo alias Shegey, was shot several times by some members of the patrol team in the back and stomach.
The police said they fired the shots in self-defence after they responded to a distress call.
The body has since been conveyed to the Police Hospital morgue in Accra pending autopsy.
According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) for Tema Regional Police Command, ASP Joseph Benefo Darkwah, at about 1:30am, the police had a distress call from someone about an ongoing car snatching incident in the area.
He said the police rushed to the area where the complainant was seen struggling with the suspect and his accomplice.
“When they got there, the story was that this gentleman had parked his car to buy something. On his return to move the car, he realized that there was another gentleman in the driver’s seat either trying to move the car or steal something.
“He questioned him and it became a struggle and he was joined by another person and when the owner of the car realised he could not struggle with them, he called the police,” he stated.
The PRO further stated that upon seeing the police, the suspects took to their heels but the police was able to arrest Shegey, one of the suspects.
He said in the process of handcuffing him, the suspect took the gun of one of the police, adding that sensing danger, one of the policemen shot the suspect who was later pronounced dead on arrival at the Tema General Hospital.
“When the suspects saw the police coming they took to their heels but fortunately we were able to follow them and arrested the deceased. In an attempt to handcuff him, the suspect, now deceased, struggled vehemently with the police and he was able to take one of the rifle from one of the policemen. At this juncture the lives of the policemen were in danger so the other policeman shot and Patrick Mensah fell. He was rushed to the hospital but he was pronounced dead,” he revealed.
Meanwhile, some youth of the area attacked the police station for allegedly killing one of their colleagues.
The angry youth vandalised police patrol vehicles and threatened to burn down the police station in the area.
They also hurled stones at the police officers to protest against the death of their colleague, who they claimed was intentionally killed by the police.
The mob also destroyed a police operational vehicle with registration number GP 3842.
Mother of the deceased and eyewitnesses disputed claims by the police, insisting that the dock labourer was attacked by the police without provocation and killed after he had closed from work.
According to them, there was no robbery operation as reported by the police.
Meanwhile, the police commander is scheduled to meet the family of the deceased to commence investigations into the matter.
The Tema Regional Police Command has also increased the number of police personnel at the Newtown Police Station to protect lives and property.
From Vincent Kubi, Tema