The suspected thief perched on the tree
A suspected thief accused of stealing banners from a billboard near the 37 Military Hospital climbed a tall tree to escape mob attack.
The police later intervened to take him to custody, after perching on the tree located between the 37 lorry station and the hospital for several hours on Sunday.
An eyewitness recounted, “He came to steal banners used for a billboard at 11 pm, and after cutting the banners, the alarm went off, so he climbed the tree to avoid arrest.”
“The crowd gathered at the base of the tree, creating a standoff until police officers arrived. The officers were able to contain the situation and safely take the suspect into custody,” the eyewitness narrated.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has repeated calls for citizens not to attack any individual suspected to have committed an offence, but rather report such incidents.
According to Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act (Act 29), intentionally causing harm is a felony, and murder is punishable by death, and further states that any individual who participates in mob violence can be held liable for assault, battery, and even murder if the suspect dies.
Ghana has recorded several cases of mob violence, with many of the suspects sustaining life-threatening injuries, and sometimes leading to death of the alleged suspect, though they should be presumed innocent until proven guilty under the 1992 Constitution.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah