The Madina Police Command has arrested twenty men who clashed with police officers at the Madina Zongo junction on the morning of Tuesday May 17.
Unconfirmed reports indicate one of the demonstrators has lost his life whilst two police officers are receiving treatment after sustaining injuries following the violent clash between aggrieved residents of the area and the Police over the sale of a parcel of land.
The clash, involving over a hundred aggrieved residents erupted as police attempted to avert the destruction of property belonging to the Faith Baptist School and Church Complex, by the angry mob, legal owners of the land in question.
The aggrieved residents were protesting against the Church and School Complex, led by one Pastor Oduro Mensah, for acquiring a parcel which they say is used for social activities.
One of the demonstrators told Citi News the land is used by all religious denominations and sects to hold large gatherings, and also used as a rally ground by politicians, while local transport operators use a portion of it as a station.
But according to Superintendent David Oklu of the Madina Divisional Police Command, the land has been legally acquired by the school and church complex for expansion.
He told Citi News the courts have ruled that the Church was the legitimate owner of the land.
Narrating Tuesday’s incident to Citi News, Supt. Oklu said the youth had earlier in the day written a letter to his outfit informing them of a demonstration against the acquisition of the land.
He said before the police could respond, information reached them that the residents had invaded the premises of the school and started damaging properties in anger.
According to him, the irate men went further to hurl stones at nursery children who were at the school’s dining hall.
He said when the police arrived to maintain calm and order, the mob continued their attack and started hurling stones and other objects at them, causing damage to two of their vehicles.
Supt Oklu declined to confirm or deny that the police fired live bullets as well as tear gas, saying only that “necessary but legal force” was used to disperse the crowd.
The senior police officer told Citi News said the 20 persons currently in the custody of the police would be screened and processed for court whilst further investigations are conducted into the incident. No casualties have so far been reported to his outfit.
In the meantime, he says calm has been restored to the area after the incident caused a huge vehicular traffic on the Madina-Aburi road.
Source: Citifmonline.com
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