Chainsaw operator arrested over death of community police assistant

A 55-year-old chainsaw operator has been arrested by the police in connection with the death of a community police assistant.

Isaac Gyan, the suspect, was said to have fell a tree which allegedly fell on the deceased, Owusu Arhin, 35.

It was not very clear as to how the deceased went into the forest.

He was stationed at the Mankranso Police Station, and neighbours believed he might have gone to monitor the activities of some illegal chainsaw operators in the forest.

The incident occurred at about 12 noon on Sunday, in the Ahiamankwa Forest, near Kunsu Wioso, in the Ahafo Ano South District of Ashanti.

Gyan, according to a police source, was using a chainsaw to cut up the tree when the trunk fell on the victim.

Emergency services rushed to save the man, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

His body has since been deposited at the Mankranso Plus Laboratory Mortuary “for further action,” the police source said.

A similar incident had occurred a day before at Motiakrom in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality of the Central Region.

The deceased, Eric Ntam, was seeking shelter under a tree during a downpour when the trunk fell on him, witnesses said.