| Some students affiliated to the Oguaa and ATL halls of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) last Saturday attacked each other leading to the destruction of properties belonging to both halls. Three students who were caught up in the exchanges and sustained injuries were treated and discharged by the UCC hospital. The incident happened at about 1:15 am on Saturday during activities marking the Oguaa Hall’s annual Junior Common Room (JCR) Week celebrations. Police personnel called to restore calm had to fire tear gas to disperse the rampaging students. Those involved in the attack were reported to have pelted each other with stones and other implements. The louvres and glass doors and other facilities were vandalised during the attack which also saw the burning of two motor cycles. Calm had returned to campus as students of the University were seen undertaking various activities when the Ghanaian Times visited there on Saturday afternoon and yesterday. The UCC Police Commander, DSP Adamu Awal Mohammed told the Ghanaian Times that, the police did not make any arrest due to poor visibility of the environment as well as the arrangement in the area during the hall week celebration. He gave the assurance that, those involved would be arrested by the police as investigations had commenced. The Central Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Irene Oppong told media personnel that, the police had commenced investigations into the incident. She said the students threw stones to cause considerable damage to properties at both halls and burnt two motor cycles. She explained that police intervention during the clashes put the situation under control. The police, she said, had not made any arrest but was quick to say that, those found to have engaged in the act would be arrested. In a related development, the management of UCC has condemned the act of violence and vandalism which occurred on campus which led to destruction of properties and injuries to some students. A statement signed by the Registrar, explained that, the university with the support of relevant security agencies, especially, the Ghana Police Service had initiated investigation into the incident. “Management wishes to state unequivocally that all perpetrators would be brought to book and dealt with appropriately,” it said. It urged all students, staff, the university community and stakeholders to remain calm while due processes were followed to bring the perpetrators to book. |
