Police hunting for Asunafo South MP attackers

The Brong-Ahafo Regional Police Command says it is making efforts to arrest the attackers of Mr Eric Opoku, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asunafo South.

The attackers, alleged to be supporters of the New Patriotic Party, vandalised the MP’s residence at his hometown, Sankore, and caused damage to property including three vehicles - a V8 Toyota Land Cruiser, a Kia Spectra and VW Passat with registration numbers AE9449-14, AE 2667-13 and AE3328-14 respectively.

Chief Inspector Augustine Kingsley Oppong, the Regional Police Public Relations Officer, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Monday that the attackers smashed the side glasses of the vehicles, caused damage to the main metal gate of the house and fired gunshots into the walls, sliding doors and windows damaging them in the process.

He said some sympathisers of the National Democratic Congress were also attacked and sustained various degrees of injuries.

Chief Inspector Oppong said when the Police received information about the attack, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ebenezer Larbi, the Goaso Divisional Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Robert Kwasi Boakye, the Asunafo South District Commander and other officers went to the residence.

The Police met Yaw Frimpong, the MP’s brother-in-law, who told them that at about 0200 hours on Sunday, April 01, the attackers, “wielding all kinds of offensive weapons, including guns and cutlasses, attacked the house and caused damage to property.”

Chief Inspector Oppong said four empty bb 32g 70mm cartridges were retrieved from the MP’s house.

He mentioned the other victims as Thomas Amponsah, Adams Seidu, Prince Nyarko, and Jona Boakye.

Chief Inspector Oppong said Amponsah suffered cutlass wounds on the head and other parts of his body, while items in his room were damaged adding that Seidu received “severe multiple cuts at his back”.

He said besides damaging some items in Seidu’s room, “an amount of GHC10,400.00, a television set and a decoder were also stolen”.

He said: “The suspects, after committing the offence, bolted while Amponsah, Seidu and one Apostle Timothy, another victim, were rescued and rushed to the Star of Hope Hospital at Sankore for treatment.”

Chief Inspector Oppong said earlier on Friday, March 30, 2018, “two armed policemen were detailed to provide security at Mr. Opoku’s house but he refused and asked them to go back to their normal patrols in town.”

He said the area was calm as police patrols continue, adding that at 0415 hours on Sunday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Kwame Tachie-Poku, the Regional Police Commander and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seidu Salifu Haruna, the Regional Operations Commander arrived at Sankore with 15 men to join in the patrols.

Chief Inspector Oppong said DCOP Tachie-Poku and ASP Haruna were not there for the patrols alone but to also verify the authenticity of the incident, sympathise with the victims and liaise with stakeholders in the community to assist the Police to arrest the attackers.