Thief escapes lynching (photos)

The bravery of a young policeman helped save the life of a suspected teenage thief who was being pummeled to death by an angry mob at Fante New Town, a suburb of Kumasi, Monday afternoon.

The lad, believed to be about 17 years old, was said to have stolen the mobile phone of a retired soldier and the huge crowd, including stoutly-built men, decided to teach him a bitter lesson.

The mob, numbering about 50, virtually turned the young suspect into a punching bag as they hit him from all directions with hefty blows and any item that they could lay their hands on, until the policeman appeared at the scene.

The unarmed policeman meandered his way through the thick crowd before he was able to save the youngster, who was panting for breath.

The mob initially resisted the policeman’s attempt to save the boy but the brave-looking security officer would not bulge, using his body as a shield to receive most of the blows that were being directed at the suspected hoodlum.

The policeman then managed to escort him into a nearby house and blocked the way leading to the house after which he called for a reinforcement to save the life of the boy.

An eyewitness told DAILY GUIDE that a retired soldier, who lived at Fante New Town, entered his room, leaving his mobile phone behind and the boy, who was lurking around, quickly took the device away.

The lad, he said, then took to his heels but the ex-service man, who realized the theft, pursued him amid shouts of ‘thief!’ thief!’ which attracted scores of people to the scene who also raced after the teenager.

At the time he was arrested, the phone was reportedly not found on him, giving rise to suspicion that he might have passed it on to an accomplice.