Tema police investigate shooting incident

Tema Manhean, April 06, GNA -- The Tema police are investigating circumstances leading to the shooting of a 30-year of man, Salas Amarh Mensah by a Police Personnel station at Tema Manhean.

Mr Mensah who was shot at in the groin is currently on admission and responding to treatment at the Tema General Hospital while the officer has been placed in custody pending investigations.

Mr Isaac Yamful, a driver in-charge of LT Van with registration number GT 4001 D told the Ghana News Agency that last Sunday he collected a friend's personal belongings from his (friend) house at Tema Manhean to "Kokomkpe" at Kpone near Tema.

He said when he reached the place around 1945 hours to offload the items the police man said he had arrested him the driver, "but when I asked why and even opened the vehicle for him to inspect the items he would not listen".

Mr Yamful said he found the behaviour of the policeman so strange of a security man "and this aroused my suspicion that he may be drunk so I ignored him and turned away, and suddenly I heard gun shot and saw my friend lying on the floor in a pool of blood".

According to the driver the policeman asked if he was dead and "when I replied that you have killed him, there and then he took to his heels but I raised an alarm and with the others we apprehended him". He said he then seized the gun from him and sent the friend to the hospital, adding that while there, colleague policemen, including the officer in-charge of the Manhean station who heard of the incident came to the hospital.

"The Chief Inspector among them by name "Baba" approached and took the gun from me at the hospital", Mr Yamful stated.

He said after his friend was attended to, he rushed to the scene again and found the policeman's helmet, knife, whistle, handcuff cover and bullet on the floor "which I collected and still in my custody". When contacted on the telephone, ACP Daniel Laryea Odai, Tema Regional Police Commander confirmed the incident and said the police take serious view of such matters and therefore was vigorously investigating it. 06 April 06