COP Slaps Top Politician

An overzealous policeman (name withheld), who wanted to flex his muscles and show a civilian ?where power lies? because he was wielding an AK 47 assault riffle, slapped Mr Bernard Monarh, People?s National Convention parliamentary candidate for Wa Central, on Saturday evening.

Mr. Monarh had interrupted a conversation between the policeman and his (Manarh) driver by asking for an explanation as to why they were being queried fro driving along a particular route.

According to the PNC candidate, the moment he asked the policeman why they were being questioned, the uniformed man took offence and dealt him a heavy slap for being ?too known.? What made the matter even worse was the complete indifference shown by colleague policemen at the Wa Central police station when Monarh went there to make a former complaint and to ask for a hospital form.

The distraught PNC candidate, who is also the National Youth Leader of the party, told ?The Evening News? that he was shocked when the personnel on duty told him that they had run out of forms for him to go for a medical checkup, and to write his statement. Several attempts to reach the Wa police to explain their side of the matter failed. However, when the Director of the Police Public Relations Directorate in Accra, Deputy Superintendent of Police, David Eklu, was informed about the incident a couple of hours after it occurred, he advised that the Regional Police Commander be informed personally to handle the matter.

Other sources contacted by ?The Evening News? intimated that the policemen were probably getting jittery over President Kufour?s intended official visit to the area. They may be getting over-zealous in an attempt to ?clean up? the area and prepare the grounds against any incident that might cause them security embarrassment.

Mr Monarh told ?The Evening News? that because of his boldness in challenging the unconstitutionality of the police behaviour, he felt insecure.