3 arrested for assaulting cop

The Upper West Region- al Police Command has arrested three suspects for assaulting a police officer, Consta- ble Coleman Osman. The suspects, Alhassan Yusif, 17-year-old unemployed, Mahama Abdulai, 19-year-old student, and Dauda Selba, a 33-year-old blacksmith, became infuriated when the policeman confronted them for riding a motorcycle carelessly.

They allegedly carelessly rode a motorcycle into a motorcycle being ridden by the policeman, who was on patrol duty together with two other policemen, and nearly caused an accident at Jengbeyiri, a suburb of Wa on Saturday. The Public Relations Officer for the Command, Inspector Gideon Ohene Boateng who confirmed the arrest to the Ghanaian Times at Wa, said the suspects attempted to disarm a policeman when they were confronted for careless riding.

“A third police officer, Constable Coleman Osman, who was off duty but was at the scene assisted his colleagues, and he was slapped and assaulted by Dauda Selba leaving him with a torn attire and minor injuries, which were later treated at the regional hospital,” he indicated.

Insp Boateng said the three policemen called for reinforcement, and the Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team went and prevented a possible mob attack on the policemen. He said, “When the SWAT team got there, a mob had already gathered and would have attacked the policemen if their intervention had not been swift,” adding that the suspects were arrested, but granted bail.

Insp Boateng urged the public to assist the police to ensure law and order, stop shielding criminals and attacking the police. The Regional Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Otchere Boapeah said that “if a policeman offends anyone, the victim should report to the police authorities for action, instead of taking the law into their own hands”.

FROM LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR