By-election violence: We’re fishing for masked gun-toting men – Police

The Ghana Police Service has said that its Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has begun a probe to identify the gunmen involved in the shooting incident at La-Bawaleshie during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election on Thursday, 31 January 2019.

“Investigations are underway to identify the persons who did the shooting leading to injuries,” a press statement issued by the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Sheila Kessie Abayie-Buckman said on Friday, 1 February 2019.

A group of macho men believed to be security agents fired into the crowd at the La-Bawaleshie JHS polling station, injuring some persons.

The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) pulled out of the election due to the shooting. During the melee, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George, was also assaulted by some hooded and totally masked security operatives.

The police have revealed that the number of injured victims has risen to 13 and statements have been taken from the victims.

“A team of investigators from the CID Headquarters visited the Legon and 37 Military Hospitals yesterday [Thursday] and met a total of 13 persons receiving treatment for various injuries including gunshot wounds,” the release added.

The police have subsequently requested the public to volunteer any information related to the incident to speed up the investigations.

The police can be contacted on 0244623866, 0242814863, police emergency number 191 or 18555 on MTN and Vodafone.