Irate youth at Karimenga, a farming community in the West Mamprusi Municipality of the North East region, has burned down a shelter of police personnel stationed, at the anti-robbery snap checkpoint on the Bolgatanga-Tamale Highway.
This followed the shooting and injuring of a female pillion rider by the police, who have been stationed in the area to combat crime.
The victim is currently responding to treatment at the Upper East Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) David Fianko-Okyere, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Upper East Regional Police Command, told the Ghana News Agency that calm had been restored to the community, following fruitful engagement between the Ghana Police Service and the leadership of the community.
According to the Police PRO at about 5pm on Tuesday, while the police were on their usual ‘stop and search’ operation on the road, the victim and the rider of the motorbike, who approached from Pwalugu refused to stop when the police asked them to do so.
ASP Fianko-Okyere said the victim and the rider hit the crush barrier with the motorbike and sped off.
He said the police suspecting the two to be criminals, pursued them and after unsuccessful verbal warnings, fired a warning shot in an attempt to demobilize the rider, but a bullet hit the pillion rider, injured her and she fell off the motorbike while the rider escaped.
ASP Fianko-Okyere said this angered the youth, who set the police personnel shelter ablaze.
He said the victim was rushed to the hospital for treatment, and the rider reported himself to the Pwalugu Police Station in the Talensi District of the Upper East region.
ASP Fianko-Okyere said that the police hierarchy in the region, led by the Regional Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr SayibuPabiGariba, had visited the victim, and assured the family of the necessary support to ensure full recovery.
The Police PRO said the police also engaged the youth and leadership of the community to restore calm.
ASP Fianko-Okyere said the incident was unfortunate adding that “ever since the checkpoint was put there, the community members had been cooperative, even supporting police in search parties and the chief sometimes visited the police at the place.
“We have ironed out our differences and the youth have also apologized to the police and have even gone to clean the debris at the scene”. – GNA
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