Obuasi Warders On Rampage

Matilda Baffour Awuah, Prison Boss

Matilda Baffour Awuah, Prison Boss



JUNIOR OFFICERS of the Ghana Prison Services (GPS) at Obuasi Wednesday took the Horsey Park Market in the metropolis by storm, by running amok and daring traders and city authorities, as they fired several shots into the air in an apparent show of force.

The paramilitary officers, who were peeved by the present of the petty traders closed to their barracks, violently pulled down structures and vandalised wares of the traders, causing shocked shoppers to flee in panic as they terrorised the market women with guns.

The prison officers had asked the traders to vacate the place to enable their wives to take over the trading activities, but the traders failed to comply, DAILY GUIDE had learnt.

While the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Ofori Agyemang and the senior officers were locked up in a meeting to find a way out of the problem, the junior- ranked officers took the law in their own hands and raided the market in a Rambo style fashion.

Some residents told DAILY GUIDE that the prison officers fired gunshots indiscriminately and threatened anyone on sight at the Horsey Park area, beating the assembly member for the area, Kofi Baiden in the process.

According to eyewitnesses, some passers-by were caught in the frenzy as the warders exhibited a show of force, causing panic with people running helter-skelter.

Eyewitnesses said the gun-wielding officers arrived in their numbers and took the traders by surprise, pulling down structures, tables and chairs.

They then opened fire upon initial resistance from the unarmed petty traders, running amok in a Hollywood movie style.

ACP Kofi Dwumfuor-Berchie, Obuasi Divisional Police Commander, who confirmed the incident, told DAILY GUIDE that the police had commenced investigation into the incident.

He said the warders had served notice to the traders to vacate the place to pave way for their wives to take over the trading activities of the area.

According to the police commander, the traders protested the move as they saw it as an unfair treatment, and therefore made a complaint to the MCE.

ACP Dwomfour-Berchie noted that while the MCE was in a meeting with senior officers to address the issue amicably, the junior-ranked officers went to vandalise the structures of the traders amidst firing of gunshots.

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