Over 100 ‘vandals’ of UG arrested

General News of Saturday, 13 April 2013

Source: radioxyzonline.com

Police Armoured Car

More than 100 students of the Commonwealth Hall of the University of Ghana have been arrested by the police for flouting the public order Act.

The arrested “Vandals” are being held by the Airport Police command in Accra.

The students defied a Police order on Saturday April 13, 2013 and went on a float as part of their forthcoming hall week celebration.

Over 50 riot Police officers armed with guns, water cannons and truncheons were deployed to the University campus at Legon in Accra to stop the float.

The Public Affairs Director of the Accra Police Command, DSP Freeman Tettey told XYZ News the leadership of the students gave the Police just three days notice, instead of five days prior notice, as stipulated by the public Order Act before organising such public events.

He said the Police told the students they could not provide officers to monitor the float because of other pressing national assignments which require their attention.

DSP Tettey explained that the State is expecting some important dignitaries in the country in the coming days and thus the need for the Police to focus attention on such issues rather than on a students’ float.

The students attempted outsmarting the Police by using an evasive route but were intercepted at the Tetteh Quarshie roundabout and over 100 of them were rounded up.

However the Junior Common Room President of the Commonwealth Hall, Nana Banyin Darkwa told XYZ News they gave the Police adequate notice of the float.

He said the float was mainly to sensitize the public about the dangers of hepatitis B.

Nana Banyin Darkwa said the Police mistook the float for a demonstration.

He attributed the heavy-handedness of the law officers to what he deemed as a total misconception about the the intentions of the students.