One of the injured persons
The youth of Ekpu, near Half-Assini in the Jomoro District of the Western Region, yesterday clashed with the police when personnel of the law enforcement agency went to the area to arrest some residents for allegedly vandalizing the police station about two weeks ago.
It would be recalled that on March 29, 2017, some youth of Ekpu besieged the Half-Assini Police Station, vandalized some items there and attacked some police officers on duty.
The youth carried out the alleged attack after hearing the news of the death in police custody of a suspect residing in the area, even though the cause of death was yet to be verified.
The mob, who reportedly demanded the cause of the death of the suspect, purportedly smashed the official vehicle, windows and the counter at the police station to back their demand.
Yesterday, the police headquarters, in conjunction with the Western Regional Police Command, deployed eight officers and 284 other ranks led by the regional police commander, DCOP Kwesi Duku, to conduct a swoop at Ekpu in an effort to arrest the suspects.
The youth in the community, numbering over 100, also organised themselves amidst beating of drums and chanting of war songs, clashed with the police.
In the process, some of the youth got injured while others were also arrested.
ASP Olivia Awurabena Adiku, Western Regional Police Public Relations Officer who confirmed the story, indicated that some of the youth even threw stones at the police.
The suspects have been sent to RHQ/Sekondi to be screened, investigated and those found culpable would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
The exercise ended at 0730 hours without any casualty. Men are firmly on the ground to maintain law and order.
However, the assembly member for the area has alleged that the police were shooting indiscriminately, leaving the residents in intense fear.
Peter Miezah described it as ‘hostage situation.’
“We are all surprised and terrified by the way the very people who are supposed to protect lives and property would invade a community in the early hours of the day amidst indiscriminate shooting,” he lamented.
The assemblyman therefore, made a passionate appeal to the Inspector General of Police to intervene in order to restore calm in the area.
Meanwhile, five persons have been hauled before the Half-Assini District Magistrate Court for allegedly killing a colleague who was in police custody for alleged theft.
They are Mathias Armakah, 19; John Cudjoe, 32; Kofi Anlimah, 20; Nicholas Atsu, 27 and Kojo Ofori, 22.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi