Police question Manhyia MP over Ashtown incident

Earlier in the day, the regional commander addressed a news conference in his office on the incident where he invited Dr Opoku Prempeh for questioning. 

DCOP Gyening said his outfit was treating the incident purely as a criminal matter and that the MP was needed to answer some questions since the gunshots allegedly came from his supporters who were with him on a door-to-door election campaign.

The regional commander said that one Gausu who fired the gun that seriously injured one of the victims, Mafius Jibril, 24 was on the run and police had mounted a search for him.

Mafius who also received cutlass wounds was in critical condition at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and was undergoing surgery.

The incident plunged the Ashanti New Town suburb where the Manhyia Palace, the seat of the Asantehene is located, and the adjoining suburb of Mbrom into a state of confusion as people run to save their lives on the night.

The regional police command had to dispatch about 40 men to the area to help maintain the peace.

But at about 10.30 pm eyewitnesses said a number of young men on motorbikes, believed to be associates of the injured Mafius, attempted reprisal attacks as they fired warning shots, forcing residents to go indoors.

Coming few days after the historic signing of a peace declaration in Kumasi by the eight presidential candidates, the incident had created apprehension amongst people in Ghana’s second biggest city.

The wounded Mafius was allegedly shot in both legs and also sustained cutlass wounds on the hands, causing him to bleed profusely.

His sister Jamila Jibril also suffered some injuries around the right ear and was treated and discharged at the Manhyia government hospital.

Explaining the circumstances leading to the shooting incident, DCOP Gyening said around 4.30 pm on Thursday, Dr. Opoku Prempeh who is standing on the ticket of the NPP for the newly created Manhyia North Constituency in the December 7 elections was distributing his posters as part of his door to door campaign.

Accompanied by some of his “boys”, they went to the house of Jamila but the woman demanded to be given some money and T. Shirt of the candidate.

The regional police chief said the NPP candidate promised to send the T. Shirt and money to her later.

During the interaction, the woman saw Gausu who allegedly had a standing conflict with her brother.

Later after the MP and his team left, Jamila and her brother Mafius were on their way to visit a family member when they met Dr. Opoku Prempeh and his group where they immediately attacked Mafius.

DCOP Gyening said Jamila alleged that when Mafius fell, she tried to shield him from being killed and it was through her action that she sustained some injuries.

Attempts by the Graphic.com.gh to contact Dr Opoku-Prempeh for his comments proved futile

Meanwhile the Regional Secretariat of the NDC had dismissed police position that the shooting had no political motive.

Party regional chairman, Yaw Obimpeh said the attack was a calculated move by the MP and the NPP to cow the NDC into submission.

At a news conference in Kumasi, Mr Obimpeh said as a law-abiding party, the NDC would not do anything to disturb the peace of the region but called on the police to ensure that the perpetrators of the act were made to face the law.

He dismissed allegation by the NPP that the NDC had brought a cache of arms to the region to cause trouble on December 7.

To prove that the allegation was false, the regional chairman used a bottle of schnapps to invoke three deities – Antoa Nyamaa, Buokyerewa and Akonedi  to curse NPP personalities including presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo, Kennedy Agyapong, Dr Opoku-Prempeh and Mr Isaac Osei who he claimed made the allegation.

In a related development, the NPP also organised news conference to "reveal" moves by the NDC to cause mayhem in the Ashanti Region on Election Day in order to reduce the votes of the NPP in the region.

Party spokesman, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, who addressed the news conference, said they had evidence that the NDC was undertaking underground activities to disrupt the elections.

He therefore urged the security agencies to be on the look out to prevent any unwanted situation.

Story by Kwame Asare Boadu & George Ernest Asare