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General News of Friday, 14 July 2017

Source: starrfmonline.com

EOCO official assaults Ayaalolo staff

Some personnel of the Bus Rapid Transit system, have allegedly been assaulted Some personnel of the Bus Rapid Transit system, have allegedly been assaulted

Some personnel of the Bus Rapid Transit system, operators of the Ayaalolo service, have allegedly been assaulted by persons suspected to be officials of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO).

A brawl ensued between the officials of the two state agencies Thursday after Marshals of the Ayaalolo service attempted to fine a driver of a Toyota Camry who had parked in the designated lanes for the buses at Achimota.

The driver of the vehicle who claimed to be a security operative from the presidency resisted the penal measures from the transport officials and called in his colleagues to attack the bus operators. A victim of the incident and a staff of the BRT Sanusi Hakim Kayode told Starr News the episode was terrifying.

“The guy had parked in our lane and we asked him to move out of the space. He refused to move the car so our officials clamped it. We then asked him to move the vehicle to our office so we fine him but he told us he wouldn’t, and that he was going to call some people from the Flagstaff House.

“He made the call and after a few hours, four men in suits arrived in a car and attempted to forcibly open the lock we used to clamp the car.

After they failed to open it, they came to our office in search of the guy who had access to the padlock key and started assaulting him until he had a cut on his head with blood oozing out. I was recording the incident on my phone and when they saw me recording it, they turned their attention on me and assaulted me too,” he recounted.

The public relations officer of the BRT service Fred Tsidi who confirmed the incident to Starr News said his outfit has written an offical note to EOCO over the incident but are yet to receive a response.