Scores of passersby and shop owners at Tanoso in Kumasi last Saturday jeered at a team of policemen in protest of what they say was an unjustified assault by the police on driver of taxi cab with registration number AW 8287-12.
In their bid to arrest the taxi driver, David Sarfo, alias Owuraku, for allegedly stopping at an unapproved area along the Abuakwa-Kumasi road, a National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) member of the team, detailed from the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Abuakwa Police in Kumasi, opened a gaping wound in the head of the driver when he suddenly hit the driver’s head with a baton.
Blood oozed out and drenched the driver, who screamed and repeatedly complained of dizziness, but that appeared not to be the concern of the policemen, who were only determined to handcuff and haul him away.
Lance Corporal F.K. Gyimah, particularly, dragged the driver, who then also tried to resist, attracting some sharp criticisms from the onlookers, whose advice against the act by the police was ignored.
Lance Corporal Gyimah ended up exchanging words with some of the protesting onlookers.
Sanity only prevailed after Sergeant Ariel Ayeh rushed from a distance to the scene, called his subordinates to order and asked them to rush the bleeding driver to nearby UEW-K Clinic for treatment.
As they boarded the vehicle and started driving away, the apparently angry onlookers jeered and hooted at the police.
The team was composed of regular police personnel, NYEP persons and members of the Road Safety Management Services Limited.
Later at the UEW-K Clinic, Lance Corporal Gyimah declined to comment on the incident when The Finder contacted him.
However, in response to a question on why he dragged the driver when he was bleeding badly, he retorted that he was not dragging the driver but was rather trying to arrest him following a scuffle.
Meanwhile, after Sarfo was discharged from the clinic, he was advised by the medical officer not to drive because of the extent of his injuries. He then explained the circumstances leading up to the incident.
He said because of a congregation held by the UEW-K that day, many people were lining the road trying to catch a car to Kumasi.
As he approached the area, some of the people rushed towards him and so he stopped. It was then that the police accused him of wrongfully stopping.
When he attempted to get out of the car, the NYEP man hit him on the head with the baton, he said.