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03.10.2015 General News

Police Defend Akooko Shooting

By Daily Guide
Police Defend Akooko Shooting
03.10.2015 LISTEN

THE DEPUTY Eastern Regional Police Commander, ACP James Azuma Abass-Abaah, has admitted his men fired live bullets to disperse demonstrators at Akyem Akooko, but said they did so in self-defence.

According to him, residents of the town attacked police and a fetish priest, Nana Saka, with dangerous weapons and that the police, in self-defence, fired live bullets which led to the killing of two people while eight others were injured.

It would be recalled that two people were on Tuesday killed while over eight others were injured in a bloody protest after some residents embarked on a demonstration to register their displeasure at the presence of a fetish priest in the area.

They claimed the fetish priest, Nana Saka, had been engaging in rituals popularly known as sakawa.

Nana Saka was reported to have marked an anniversary and during the activities he and his followers carried their gods and paraded them through the community, incurring the wrath of Barima Bempong Agyedoa Pantantina, who summoned him to appear before the chiefs and elders.

DAILY GUIDE gathered that the chief fined Nana Saka one cow, two cartons of foreign Schnapps and an amount of GH¢20,000 (¢200 million), and that after he had presented all those things, he should vacate the town.

However, Nana Saka, who reportedly promised to pay the fine on Tuesday, refused to appear before the traditional authorities and rather went to the Suhum police station to report the matter.

Queen Mother
The queen mother, Nana Afia Korantemaa, together with 21 others who were arrested on Wednesday and remanded into prison custody on Thursday, were reported to have incited the youth to storm the fetish priest's house and vandalise it. This reportedly infuriated the followers of the fetish priest who also fired gunshots into the demonstrating crowd, resulting in a free-for-all fight in which the factions allegedly used machetes and other lethal weapons.

The angry youth allegedly vandalised Nana Saka's shrine and the police started firing live bullets and tear gas to scare them.

However, addressing the media on Wednesday at Akyem Akooko, the Deputy Police Commander said the police fired the live bullets in self-defence.

Compromised Police
Meanwhile, MP for the area, Samuel Atta Akyea, who is currently the counsel for the suspects, has alleged that the police in Suhum have been compromised by the fetish priest.

Mr Atta Akyea was angry that the residents had been refused bail whilst the fetish priest who had been accused by the suspects of shooting one of the protesters who was standing somewhere else had been let off the hook, adding that the protesters were even unarmed at the time of the incident.

But ACP Abass, in a reaction, said the MP's claims are false.

'He lied by saying the demonstrators were unarmed. They set fire at the police [vehicle] and injured three police officers before the police returned fire. The evidence is there, the vehicle they [police] were riding is there, the pellet marks are there for everybody to see,' he said.

According to the police commander, Atta Akyea's claim that the police should not have protected the fetish priest from the demonstrators is ridiculous.

'Don't we have freedom of worship in this country? Is there a law that prevents a fetish priest from celebrating his annual festival?' he quizzed.

Touching on the police's refusal to grant bail to the 15 people arrested, ACP Abass said the police have not broken any law.

'You are rioting with guns, you've caused arson, and you've killed somebody; you were just picked up today for questioning and you want us to grant you bail? What have we done about [the case] before you want us to grant bail?' he further queried.

Call On IGP
Meanwhile, a pressure group, Okyeman Youth Association, in a press release issued and signed by Nana Yaw Ampem Darko, Chairman, Nana Asem Bi Nti, General Secretary and Nana Kofi Kusi, Eastern Regional Coordinator, is calling on the Inspector General of Police to take up the Akyem Akooko case and investigate the Eastern Regional Police.

'We are not comfortable and also disappointed in how the Eastern Region Police are handling the issue. It seems to us they have personalised issues between them and the natives of Akyem Akooko

'We believe that the opinion leaders they arrested yesterday at the chief's palace are threats to them. How can they arraign them before court in such a hurry without granting them bail?' they stated.

They further alleged that the police know very well that the opinion leaders are those with detailed information about the incident and can expose their bias and poor handling of the issue; hence their refusal to grant the leaders bail.

FROM Daniel Bampoe, Akyem-Akokoo

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