Lapaz shooting: Killed police officer's gun was not working - MP alleges

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashaiman, Ernest Henry Norgbey, has raised questions about the efficiency of weapons and equipment given to the security services to fight against crimes.

According to him, he is reliably informed that the gun of the Police Constable, who was shot dead at Lapaz in Accra, failed to fire after he attempted to defend himself against the armed robbers.

The MP is, therefore, calling on Parliament to summon the Minister of Interior, Ambrose Derry, to answer questions as to why that should be the case.

Two Police officers, Constable Daniel Owusu and Djibril Alhassanwere were shot at Lapaz by two armed robbers when they attempted to arrest them. Constable Owusu died on the spot after being shot twice, in the chest and in the stomach, while the latter managed to escape despite being fired on the hand by the robbers.

The armed men then snatched an ash Hyundai Sonata car from its driver and fled away as some members of the public watched on haplessly.

The Police has since begun investigations into the matter, with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) David Asante Appeatu, placing a GHC10,000 bounty on the heads of the killers in a bid to encourage informants.

However, MP for Ashaiman, Ernest Henry Norgbey, who also serves as a member of Parliament’s Defense and Interior Committee, believes the Interior Minister has some questions to answer after alleging that the guns of the victims were without a bullet.

“A police officer was on duty trying to fire and he could not. If proper logistics for the people who are to protect us [are lacking] then we are doomed for this country," he lamented.

He added that the Police and other security services must be well resourced to protect the citizenry, rather than leaving them vulnerable to armed robbers.