Simpa residents stone police officers, injure commander

The people of Simpa and its environs, a farming community along the Tarkwa-Takoradi Highway, on Monday, chased out police personnel with stones and clubs.

The police who had information that a vehicle had run over some natives of the area including two pregnant women, a situation leading to rioting, had gone to the accident scene to control the irate residents of the town.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Paul Ayittey, Tarkwa Divisional Commander, who sustained an injury on his forehead, confirmed the story to the Ghana News Agency.

ACP Ayittey said he was treated at the Dompim Community Clinic while some of his men were also injured.

He said his office received information that an accident had occurred at Simpa, and he dispatched to the scene some personnel including the Motor Transport and Traffic Unit commander, ASP Emmanuel Honu-Broni.

At the scene, however, the people had blocked both sides of the road to prevent vehicular movement, and they refused to remove the barricade even upon advice by the police.

The divisional commander said they dispersed the rioters by firing tear gas, but they retaliated by throwing stones at the police, so his men left the scene immediately and called for reinforcement from Sekondi to calm down the situation.