Driver's death leads to demo against police

Suhum (E/R), Aug 5, GNA- Drivers in Suhum in the Eastern Region took to the streets on Saturday to demonstrate against the police in protest of an alleged killing of a colleague.

The deceased driver, George Kodjo Atua, 32, popularly known as Machllina, was alleged to have been shot by a police officer. The demonstrators blocked most of the roads in the Suhum township and prevented other vehicles from moving in and out of the town. The drivers later converged at the Suhum Police Station and attempted to attack the alleged policeman who killed their colleague, but they were prevented, while the alleged police officer was whisked away.

Speaking to Ghana News Agency later, Mr Kwame Mantey, an eyewitness who was in the vehicle Atua was driving, said the deceased was driving from Akorabo to Suhum at top speed and overtook a police petrol car GP 1196 on the way.

He said the policemen became offended and chased the driver and arrested him on the Suhum Government Hospital road. The policemen and the military men in the police patrol car then subjected him to severe beatings. Mr Mantey said the deceased was hit several times in the stomach with the butt of the gun until he became unconscious and was taken to the police charge office at Suhum.

He said the police officer on duty at the charge office refused to accept the deceased saying his condition was bad and should be send to the hospital.

According to Mantey, Atua was sent to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

When the Suhum police was contacted, they confirmed the story but explained that the policemen who committed the offence were from Kibi and not Suhum as was being alleged.

Meanwhile, the wife of the deceased, Ms Gladys Atua, who is eight months pregnant, has appealed to the Inspector General of Police to investigate the killing and bring the culprit to book.

Some few months ago, the people of Suhum blocked the main roads leading to the township to raise public sympathy towards several unexplained killings in the township and engaged the police when they tried to remove the road blocks.