Gunman storms police headquarters

A 38-year-old man was arrested Monday morning trying to enter the premises of the Ashanti Regional Police Headquarters in Kumasi with a foreign-made pistol fully loaded with live ammunitions.

The suspect, Philip Kwadwo Mensah, a lotto agent, had concealed the Point 38 Special Revolver containing six live ammunitions in his bag, when he was nabbed at the main entrance of the headquarters.

A policeman on duty at the gate spotted the unlicensed gun through a body scanner machine, and quickly handed over Kwadwo Mensah to the CID unit to investigate him further over his intentions.

DCOP Kofi Boakye, Ashanti Regional Police Commander, instituted the body scanning of visitors to the police headquarters as part of moves to protect policemen on duty.

Supt. Chapman Gadzo, Deputy Regional Crime Officer, said DCOP Kofi Boakye’s policy that people visiting the headquarters should be scanned was a step in the right direction.

He said Kwadwo Mensah came to the headquarters around 9:30 am.

Supt. Gadzo disclosed that the suspect, upon interrogation, said he was visiting the police headquarters because his motorbike had been confiscated. He also revealed that he bought the gun from a gun dealer in Kumasi.

Supt. Gadzo said the police would process the suspect before court, noting that efforts were being made to arrest the said gun dealer. He commended the policeman on duty for his alertness which led to the arrest of the suspect.