Actor Hanks Anuku, others arrested for causing fear and panic

A film crew shooting a movie titled ‘Night Scenes in Ghana’ on the Spintex Road in Accra yesterday without permit, have been arrested by the police for causing fear and panic.

Motorists using the road on hearing gunshots and shouts, got frightened and quickly reversed, creating a chaotic scene on the road.

As the scene of the movie portrayed a robbery, pedestrians panicked and run helter skelter to take cover.

The police were called in and acted professionally to avert what could have resulted in an exchange of fire, which could have led to the death of many people.

Those arrested include famous Nigerian actor Hanks Anuku, George Adu Badu, producer of the movie; Joseph Heisk, Ivy Bentum, Adjetey Roberta, and Elu Heaka Mensah.

The rest are Mary Acheampong, Emmanuel Anumaka, Charles Roger Beckly, Arhin Wakila and Sherrif Sunday Brown.

Briefing the press, the Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno, said at about 3am, yesterday, the Police Control Room received a series of phone calls that a gang of armed robbers had blocked a section of the road, firing and robbing motorists and other road users.

He said police patrol teams were dispatched to the scene only to discover that the supposed gang was a crew of a film production company known as ‘The Rabel Entertainment’ using rubber pistols, toy machine guns and firecrackers to shoot a movie.

“These people did not have any permit from the lawful authority and went ahead to willfully obstruct public way and hinder the free passage of persons and vehicles, as well as causing fear and panic,” he said.

The police, according to him, is not against film production in the country, but would not countenance acts likely to occasion the breach of peace and endanger public defence and safety.

DCOP Yohuno advised movie producers to seek the necessary permits, protection and police presence whenever their script required the staging of violent scenes.