The Public Relations Officer of the Upper East Regional Police Command, ASP David Fianko-Okyere, has stated that the shooting of a motor rider at Pusu-Namongo in the Talensi District last Sunday by a police officer was in self-defense.
The 31-year-old victim, known as Francis, was reportedly shot in his left leg causing severe gunshot wounds that sources say may require special medical care in Tamale or Bawku to treat him.
Speaking in an interview on Daybreak Upper East show on A1 Radio, ASP Fianko-Okyere said the police had begun investigations into the incident. But from what his outfit gathered, “The regional highway patrol team with their patrol point at Pusu-Namongo were performing their duties as usual; doing what we call stop and search, escort of vehicles and other patrol duties; when they encountered two gentlemen [Francis and his friend, known as Dennis] on a motor bike.
According to the police PRO, “First they pulled up from Bolgatanga section of the road towards Pwalugu. When the police stopped them, they did not stop. And so they went to wherever they were going and on their return, the police stopped them again at the same spot and they refused to stop; attempting to bypass the police.”
Contrary to earlier reports, ASP Fianko-Okyere noted that the motor bike being used by the victim had a registration number plate; but was quick to add that “the police officers were not there only to check unregistered motorbikes.”
He continued that the police conducted a search on the motor users and did not find anything incriminating. So, they went on to asked for the document covering the motorbike “and the gentlemen [Francis and Dennis] said they didn’t have the document with them at the time; and for that they were depositing their two mobile phones with the police and go back home to bring the document of the motorbike.’’ But the police officers turned down their request.
In an attempt to impound the motorbike, ASP Fianko-Okyere narrated that the motor users particularly Francis, became agitated and struggled with the police attempting to resist the seizure of his motorbike.
“He held the police officer’s weapon at the nozzle and in fact when you try to disarm any police officer, that person will not allow. So he [the police officer] also adopted a posture of defending his weapon and his person; and in the process of that struggle, the gentleman [Francis] was shot by the knee and we sent him to the hospital. That was exactly what happened.” ASP. Fianko-Okyere recounted.
Meanwhile, information available to A1Radioonline.com indicates that the account of Francis and Dennis clearly contradicts the picture being painted by the police.
According to reports, the police, in the course of the confrontation between the two parties, allegedly accused Francis and Dennis of challenging their authority and threatened to shoot them.
Subsequently, one of the police officers yet to be identified reportedly shot Francis in his leg resulting in severe gunshot wounds.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1 MHz|Ghana
