Police Arrest 48 After Renewed Clashes In Awhiaa

Police in Ashanti Region will Tuesday bring charges against 48 suspects arrested in connection with clashes at Ahwiaa, a town in Kwabre East District.

Clashes between some Zongo youth and indigenes in the Ashanti Region town left many residents injured.

The fight started early Saturday morning, however, one person was killed and two others sustained severe injuries following renewed clashes on Monday.

Related: 20-year-old boy killed; another's hand chopped off in Ahwiaa gang violence

The police are yet to ascertain the cause of the violence.

Ashanti Regional Police PRO ASP Juliana Obeng says the 48 suspects picked up on Monday are being processed for court on Tuesday.

The District Security Council (DISEC) at Kwabre East will maintain a heavy security presence at Ahwiaa in the Ashanti Region where two youth groups clashed on Saturday.

The Council will also be monitoring developments in the area to quell an escalation of the clashes between the two groups.

Cause of the clash
Reports indicate that the violence started when the Asante youth prevented their counterparts from the Zongo community from partaking in the burial celebrations of an 18-year old girl, known as Esther Ampofowaa on Friday.

The clashes saw the destruction of property, and residents in the community were forced to lock themselves indoors.

The District Chief Executive for the area, Nana Osei Assibey Bonsu is reported as saying the Council will work to prevent an escalation of the tensions.

“We had meetings with the various sub-chiefs; the chief from the Ashanti side and the chief from the Zongo side. We met them [on Saturday] and as at now, everything is going on well so DISEC is on the ground doing its work to make sure that everything will come to a close,” he told Accra-based Citi FM.

Clashes
Joy News’ Erastus Asare Donkor reports that the clashes came about after the indigenes attempted to prevent the Zongo youth from partaking in a dance party they had held on Friday evening.

The Zongo youth joined in the dance anyway, only for the factions to return Saturday morning to attack each other.

In an effort to control the angry youth, the police fired warning shots which allegedly hit three of the young men, resulting in some injuries.

Others were also injured during the brawl. All the injured persons have, however, been sent to the hospital and are receiving treatment.

Meanwhile, at least four suspects have also been arrested by the police for their involvement in the clashes.

The main street in the town has been closed by police and a military back-up has been called in order to restore order.

Deputy regional Police commander, DCOP Fred Adu Anim condemned the actions of the youth.

He called on the Chief of Ahwiaa, Nana Ntie Adu and the Zongo community to counsel their people in order to avoid an imposition of a curfew on the town.