100 Police officers storm Half Assini, beat up residents

About 100 police officers on Tuesday morning stormed Ekpu near Half Assini in the Western Region to “harass” residents, on Tuesday, 11 April.

The raid, according to an eyewitness, could be linked to an earlier attack on a police station in the area by the youth following the death of a young man who was in police custody after having been arrested for alleged theft.

The angry youth vandalised the police station and attacked the officer who was on duty at the time. According to him, the baton-wielding officers indiscriminately beat residents in the town, thus, throwing the entire fishing community into chaotic scene. He said even physically challenged locals were not spared by the police who used brute force on anyone they could lay eyes on.

Assemblyman for the area, Peter Miezah, described the situation as a horrifying one saying such a police raid had never happened in the small community. Efforts to reach the regional command for other details proved futile.

Speaking to the media, Hon Paul Essien the Member of Parliament for Jomoro who doubles as Deputy Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs expressed shock in the police police for not exercise patient on the matter.

Hon Paul Essien said he has booked an appointment to meet the IGP and Interior Minister to find a lasting solution to the matter but "it has come to my surprise for the police to raid the town"

Hon Paul Essien has condemned the police act and appealed to the IGP to intervene.

The police officers who came from Sekondi arrested students who are writing their WASSCE exams and teachers.

Describing the two towns as 'ghost town' for now because the folks in the town have disappeared to avoid any arrest.

Last week, the family head of the deceased body confirmed to the media that the autopsy report revealed the guy was beaten into death by the police in the Half Assini police cells.