Vehicle runs over police

A policeman on duty at a checkpoint at the Tetteh Quarshie roundabout was killed yesterday, when he was run over by a vehicle.

Sergeant D. S. Watson of the Police Service Workshop at the Licence Office in Accra was killed when the driver of the vehicle he signalled to stop at the barrier refused and in the process run over him.

Dr K. K. Manfo, the Accra Regional Police Commander, who disclosed this in an interview in Accra, said the police normally mount a road block at the Tetteh Quarshie roundabout to check vehicles.

He said during the early hours of yesterday, policemen on duty at the barrier which had been mounted between the motorway and Madina side of the roundabout, spotted a vehicle speeding towards them from the Accra end of the motorway.

The commander said the vehicle, a 207 Benz bus with registration number GT1955 T was travelling from the Motorway towards Accra and on reaching the barrier, he was signalled by the policemen to stop.

Dr Manfo said the driver slowed down as if to stop and the sergeant moved towards the bus, but suddenly the driver stepped on the accelerator and sped off running over Sgt Watson and killing him instantly.

According to Dr Manfo, the driver failed to stop and the other policemen fired several warning shots but the driver ignored them and and sped away.

He said since the dutymen did not have a vehicle, they looked on helplessly while the driver sped off

The commander said the other policemen later managed to commandeer a vehicle and gave the driver a chase, but the vehicle was found abandoned on the motorway extension towards Achimota about 500 metres from the point of the incident.

The commander said the driver, Kwaku Akor, aged 23, and the other occupant, Stephen Ocansey, aged 24, who claimed to be the owner of the vehicle, took to their heels after abandoning the vehicle but were chased by the policemen, who arrested them.

Dr Manfo said upon interrogation, the driver said they went to distribute some alcoholic beverages at Akatsi in the Volta Region and were on their way back to Accra when the incident occurred.

Dr Manfo said when the vehicle was searched nothing was found on it but the police believed that the vehicle was carrying some prohibited items which its occupants managed to hide before the policemen caught up with them. He said the whole area had been cordoned off and the police are searching for the goods.

The body of the deceased has been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary awaiting autopsy while investigations continue.