Thomas Asante Mensah, Kumasi THE Ashanti Regional Police Command has declared that the management of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, regional circles council and the so-called association of Kotoko supporters do not have any authority to ban anybody from the stadium.
Reacting to the publication in the Graphic captioned “Kotoko ban Superintendent Sumaila”, Chief Inspector Kwesi Ofori of the Police Public Relations Unit said emphatically that the stadium does not belong to Kotoko and as such they could not ban even an ant from the stadium.
He said it is the prerogative of the Regional Police Commander to determine who should go to the stadium to ensure peace and no other person or group of persons could have the authority to hinder a policeman from performing their duties.
Chief Inspector Ofori said since the police are duty-bound to ensure peace at all national stadia, they would do everything possible to check any act that is an affront to the rules and norms covering the stadia.
He wondered how a person could assault a police officer on duty and then go on air and heap all manner of insults on him and be left without being charged.
“We will send Superintendent Sumaila to head a team of policemen to the stadium when Kotoko are playing for those saying that they have authority to ban others from the stadium to go on to expel Sumaila,” he fumed.
He said the stadium is the property of the state and it is the duty of the police to protect state property and life from unscrupulous people.
There was a fisticuff between Superintendent Sumaila and the Board Chairman of Kotoko, Mr Herbert Mensah, during a friendly football match between Kotoko and King Faisal which Kotoko won 2-1.
In the said tussle, Mr Herbert Mensah allegedly spat on Superintendent Sumaila and but for the timely intervention of the Regional Police Commander, Dr. K. K. Marfo, the outcome would have been disastrous.