Streetlight sparks clash and death

A dispute over whether a streetlight behind the Sariki Zongo's house, at Alaba in Kumasi should be switched on or not, has led to the death of one person with many others sustaining injuries.

The Ashanti Regional Police has arrested five people who are believed to be ringleaders in the fighting and impounded 73 bicycles, ¢55 million cash and a gun.

Most of the people, who sustained injuries, have been treated and discharged from various clinics and hospitals while others still remain on admission. The dead, named as Engor Seidu, would be buried after autopsy.

The Ashanti Regional Police Commander, ACP Frank Adu-Poku said that the trouble started at about 7.30 pm on March 7 behind the Sariki Zongo's house where some young men, popularly referred to as "Bawku Boys," always went to relax after the day's work.

He said a streetlight that usually illuminated the area suddenly went off, so some of the 'Bawku Boys' went to switch it on.

That was, however, objected to by another group suspected by the police to be drug peddlers, who switched it off apparently to enable them to carry out their trade under cover of darkness.

In the ensuing misunderstanding some of the suspected drug peddlers rushed home and returned with cutlasses and attacked two members of the 'Bawku Boys' who wanted the lights on.

The information reached the assemblyman of the area and the Zongo chief who intervened.

However the following day, while the opinion leaders were discussing how to find an amicable solution, the second group besieged the meeting place with guns and cutlasses and inflicted cutlass wounds on two other people, said to be Bawku Boys.

Angered by this development, the Bawku Boys went on the rampage, beating anybody in sight.

The police quickly intervened and arrested the five people who the Police Commander said were still in custody as at about 6.30pm on Friday.

At about mid-day on Friday, while the police had intensified patrol in the area and negotiations were on going to restore calm, information reached the Police Commander that Engor Seidu had been shot dead.

Mr Adu Poku said the alleged killer, named as Adams, was said to have claimed that Seidu was one of those who slashed one of the four young men and instantly shot him dead.

Adams is at large and police have mounted a search for him.

ACP Adu-Poku said police patrols had been intensified there to ensure that things return to normal soon.