Video operator in custody for assaulting police officer

Begoro (E/R), Nov. 02, GNA- A 27-year-old video operator, Samuel Awuah was remanded in police custody by the Begoro District Magistrate Court for assaulting a police officer.

He pleaded not guilty on four counts of assault, threat, stealing and causing damage to a police officer's vehicle. Awuah also pleaded not guilty to the charge of assaulting a barber and inflicting cutlass wounds on him. He is to reappear in court on November 7. Prosecuting, Chief Inspector William Kwasi Nkrumah, told the court presided over by Mr Robert Djan that on July 1, this year, the La District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Samuel Nyamekye Adane-Ameyaw attended a funeral of a colleague's mother at Begoro.

He said when they were returning from the cemetery, ASP Adane-Ameyaw's vehicle got stuck in a mud and the accused person and his accomplices helped to push it through. After that they requested for a lift and ASP Adane-Ameyaw obliged. Chief Inspector Nkrumah said, a few meters away, they saw another friend and the accused person asked ASP Adane-Ameyaw to pick the friend too.

He said when AS Adane-Ameyaw stopped, the accused ordered the friend to sit at the rear seat but the ASP Adane-Ameyaw protested and explained that he was having his mobile phone and some personal belonging on the rear seat.

Chief Inspector Nkrumah said the accused person became offended and accused ASP Adane-Ameyaw of suspecting them to be thieves, hence did not want their friend to sit at the rear seat.

He said when ASP Adane-Ameyaw sensed danger he pulled a pistol from his pocket and gave two warning shots, but the accused and his friends rather banged on the vehicle and damaged it and also removed the Ghana Flag at the front cabin of the vehicle.

Chief Inspector Nkrumah said the accused and his four accomplices then came to the police station to report ASP Adane-Ameyaw of assaulting them but when they saw ASP Adane-Ameyaw also coming to lodge his complain they took to their heels.

He said the accused person were later arrested and brought before court.