2 remanded for assaulting policeman

An Accra circuit court yesterday remanded the driver and his mate, who assaulted a policeman on duty last Thursday at Mallam Junction in Accra.

The accused, Francis Buabeng, the driver, and Albert Ansah, driver’s mate were remanded by the presiding Judge Bernard Bentil, to appear on April 1.

The Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Effia Tenge, told the Ghanaian Timesin Accra yesterday, that the two pleaded not guilty to the four charges.

 The Ghanaian Times inits Monday, March 18, 2019 edition, reported that a driver and his mate, who allegedly assaulted a policeman on duty last Thursday, at Mallam Junction, in Accra, have been arrested by the police.

Buabeng, the driver and Ansah, the mate, were captured on a video in a fisticuff with Police Constable Julius Mawuli Ekpe of the Accra Regional Police Command Visibility Unit, which went viral.

The two have been placed in police custody to assist in investigations.

Buabeng and Ansah at about 1:30pm, on the Mallam Kasoa road parked their Sprinter vehicle with registration number AW-855-14 in the middle of the road to ‘pick’ passengers, who were crossing the road from the other side.

In the process, the Sprinter bus obstructed traffic, causing a motorcycle to run into the rear of a private car behind the vehicle.

Constable Ekpe approached the driver to help resolve the matter, but in the process the driver nearly hit him and sped off.

The policeman hired a commercial motorcycle operator ‘Okada’ and pursued the driver and the driver’s mate and managed to catch up with them at the Mallam Junction traffic light.

At the Mallam Junction, an argument ensued between the suspects and the constable.

The two later assaulted the policeman, bolted, but lodged a complaint at the Mallam Police Station that they had been assaulted by a policeman, and were given a medical form to attend hospital.

The policeman later towed the vehicle to the Odorkor Police Station and made an official report to the police.

The two were arrested during investigations, and were charged with four charges, conspiracy to commit crime, assault on a police officer, obstruction and causing damage to police accoutrement.

BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI