Police raid Ekpu, arrest 50 residents over attack on police station

The Western Region police have arrested 50 residents of Ekpu in the Half-Asini District during a dawn swoop Tuesday, led by the Regional Police Commander, DCOP Kwasi Mensah-Duku.

Three hundred policemen drawn from various stations in the region took part in the swoop and those arrested are to be screened at the regional police headquarters in Sekondi-Takoradi..

The community has in recent weeks been the scene of unrest following the alleged death in custody of a suspect. 

The community rose against the police whom they accused of highhandedness in the death of Kwabena Assuah, alleged to have stolen a ladies dress and kept in cells beyond stipulation.

While the police say he died after being assaulted by cellmates, the community members are convinced policemen on duty were responsible for his death and attacked the police station a fortnight ago, manhandling those on duty and causing some damage.

Sources close to the police’s swoop tell Graphic Online that those arrested would be screened and culprits processed for prosecution, pointing out that it is a criminal offence to attack a police station.

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Assembly Man’s account

The Assembly Man for the community, Peter Miezah Angate aka June-July, told Graphic Online he woke up at about 5:45am Tuesday to sounds of sporadic gunshots and when he probed further, he saw that it was the police that had descended on the community to arrest the youth.

He said while he could not get close to the police, his calls to them were also unsuccessful. He was however sure that the police were pursuing the recent developments involving the death of Assuah.

He alleged that some of those arrested were brutally assaulted by the police.

Meanwhile the police officer said to have booked Kwabena Assuah case and kept him in custody upon his arrest, is also being investigated.

A wheelchair bound resident bearing cane marks and said to be a victim of the dawn swoop by the police.