The Konongo Divisional Police Command in the Ashanti Region has denied reports suggesting that its officers assaulted a suspect to death on Tuesday evening.
According to the Command, the suspect died from wounds he sustained after the community members attacked the police team during a swoop.
Residents of Ashanti Akyem in an earlier protest accused the police of beating and butchering the suspect to death for no offense.
But speaking to Citi News, the Konongo Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent Shaibu Osei said the allegations are unfounded.
“We have been receiving reports of drug peddling in that community so the police proceeded there based on informants. Two people were arrested and armed police were trying to congregate them and there was an attack from all angles. In the course of the stone-throwing, the suspect was hit on the head and the policeman was also hit at the wrist. The information that I have gathered now, doesn’t show any form of police brutalities. Investigations are ongoing so I don’t know where the reports that the police mercilessly beat the suspect are coming from. Even the suspect in custody has confirmed our position,” he added.
But, the Assemblyman for the area, Samuel Kofi Boadu who narrated his account on Eyewitness News was strongly convinced that an innocent soul has been killed.
According to him, the police may have a hand in the death of the victim.
“When I got to the scene, I saw police patrol looking for narcotics substances. They went to search for one Mr. Kankam but he wasn’t around so they broke the door and entered. Then they went to one vendor who sells alcohol but they didn’t meet her so on their return, they saw two innocent persons who they starting beating one. In the process, one of the police personnel took a cutlass and cut the back of the victim. When the police saw that, the mob was increasing, the other officer fired about nine warning shots. After they assaulted the victim, they put him in the vehicle and sped off. When I called the Municipal Police Commander, he denied deploying his men for the patrol.”
The deceased is 33-year-old Kofi Ampadu who is a driver.
His body has since been deposited at the Konongo Odumase Government Hospital morgue.