NPP MP’s armed thug busted for almost killing NDC man

Details emerging from the Bono Region, continue to firmly place the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Dormaa West, Ali Maiga Halidu, at the center of last Saturday's indiscriminate shooting at Nkrankwanta in the Dormaa West District.

Yesterday, the police arrested Ali Musah, alias Idrisu Musah, identified as one of the MP's bodyguards and a driver, who shot and almost killed one Kwame Grutant, an NDC supporter in the chest during the registration exercise at Nkrankwanta in the Dormaa West Constituency, leaving him in critical condition.

The violent incident resulted in the destruction of the ruling party's Constituency office, the burning of a state vehicle and a motorbike, as well as the murder of Kofi Labet, alias Kofi Stephen, said to be a thug in the company of the MP, who himself is reported to have assaulted a senior police officer during the mop up registration exercise by the Electoral Commission (EC).

While, the 32-year-old Ali Musah, alias "Bugi" is presently at the Sunyani Central Police Station assisting with investigation, his victim, is said to have sustained a life-threatening chest injury and suffered internal bleeding in the right side of the chest known medically as Right Haemothorax.

At the time of going to press yesterday, the doctors at the Sunyani hospital, had desperately tried to save his life by performing a surgery on Mr Grutant, age 33.

Interestingly, though the MP, has denied his personal involvement, but police investigation continue to deeply bury him in the lawlessness at Nkrankwanta, including reports that he Ali Maiga, had on August 6, 2020, assaulted the District Police Commander, by name Timothy Kustinyah.

The MP, had slapped the senior police officer at the District Hospital, Nkrankwanta, when the Police Commander, went to the health facility to ascertain the details of the bloody attack and interact with the victims.

It is not clear, why the MP, who is also the NPP parliamentary candidate for election 2020, has not been arrested and charged with assault.

But Musah, said to be his personal bodyguard and a driver, has been described by peers as being violent as his boss; Ali Maiga.

The police had arrested Musah, together with some four other thugs belonging to the MP,on August 8, 2020 same day he committed the crime, but the police released him and the others to walk free on the claim of political pressure from above.

Meanwhile, his victim; Grutant, has received a blood transfusion, because he lost a lot of blood from his gun wounds and a deep cut to his head from the NPP vigilantes.

Aside his head and chest, Grutant was also struck on the right leg with clubs by the NPP thugs.

Health officials attending to Grutant, said he was in stable condition after the surgery. However, he is unable to walk due to the waist and leg injuries.

Ali Maiga Halidu, has confirmed the gun violence to JoyNews, but accused the NDC of busing thugs from Sankore and Kasapin in the Ahafo Region to intimidate members of the NPP.

He accused the alleged thugs of burning a pick up car, motorcycles, and vandalizing the party's office.

Ali Maiga Halidu tells JoyNews, while the dead man, Kofi Stephen was a member of the NPP, one of the injured men was from the NPP and the other from the NDC.

The former MP for Dormaa West, Vincent Oppong Asamoah, however, denied that the NDC bused thugs to fight the NPP.

He again denied allegations that his members burnt and vandalised the NPP office.

He, however, confirmed that some aggrieved people who may not necessarily be party members, could have done that.

He also accused a member of the NPP of firing the gun at a registration centre.

Meanwhile, one Mallam Illiausu, was said to be among those who received treatment at the Dormaa Ahenkro Presbyterian Hospital.