Brong Ahafo police arrest rampaging mourners

Sunyani(B/A), June 27, GNA - The Brong=96Ahafo Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Inspector Christopher Tawiah at the weekend said the Police command in conjunction with other security agencies are doing their best to ensure a good atmosphere prevails at the up-coming National Democratic Congress.

"We are preparing grounds for a peaceful congress", he told newsmen, stressing the police would not tolerate deviant acts that could disrupt the smooth conduct of the congress.

Chief Inspector Tawiah was briefing the newsmen on the arrest of six people in connection with last Friday's incident in Sunyani when some mourners, including the six, clashed with the police as they mourned the death of a colleague.

The six are Gabriel Nartey, Kwaku Damoah, Kwabena Gyabaah, Francis Ankomah, Francis Obeng and Effah Fred Darko, a student of Sunyani Polytechnic.

Explaining the circumstances leading to the arrest of the mourners, Chief Inspector Tawiah said on Friday the mourners, some of whom wielded explosives proceeded from Sunyani Polytechnic area with others standing in open vehicles while some also walked behind amidst brass band music.

The Police PRO said the mourners fired the explosives as they reached the Police headquarters area, creating immense noise and this prompted the deputy regional commander to instruct some police personnel to go and stop them.

He said the mourners, believed to be artisans at Sunyani 'magazine' did not heed the advice of the police and in an ensuing melee the six who were in possession of the home-made explosives were arrested.

The angry artisans then paraded through the principal streets of Sunyani and pelted the police with stones and in the process one police vehicle got damaged.

Chief Inspector Tawiah said the six people were later taken to the central police station for questioning.

He added that another set of mourners who emerged later with the intention of destroying the police station following the arrest of their colleagues forced the police to mobilize an anti-riot team to meet them and avert further confrontation.

The police public relations officer said the six would be put before court to face trial and appealed to people 93to harmonize their activities in order to ensure the congress is organised successfully".