A 30-year-old man was in the early hours of Tuesday shot and killed by the police at Tema New Town in Accra.
Patrick Mensah, was fired at by some members of the Police Patrol Team who were responding to a distress call in the area at about 1:30 am.
The Public Relations Officer of the Tema Regional Police Command, ASP Mr. Joseph Darkwa told Graphic Online that the police received a distress call from someone (name withheld) to the effect that he was under attack.
Car invasion
According to him, the complainant told the Police Patrol Team that he had parked his car to buy something only to return to find another person in the driving seat.
He said, the complainant added that in an attempt to question the intruder, a struggle ensued and the suspect was joined by another person in the car.
Mr Darkwa said the car owner on realising that he could not handle the ensuing struggle placed a call to the police.
He said the suspects on seeing the police took to their heels but were pursued by the policemen who later apprehended the deceased.
Weapon snatching
According to Mr Darkwa, in an attempt to handcuff the deceased, he allegedly snatched the rifle of the policeman and in the process of taking the rifle back, the other policeman who was with the team shot the deceased.
He said the body has since been conveyed to the police hospital morgue for autopsy.
Mr. Darkwa said the Regional Police Command has opened investigation into the case.
Protest
Meanwhile, some residents of Tema New Town have staged a protest over the incident.
They pelted the police station with stones leading to the damage of a police operational vehicle with registration number GP 3842.
Mother of the deceased has also disputed the account of the police insisting her son, who had gone to buy food after close of work, was not a robber as alleged.
About 20 armed police men are guarding the New Town Police station at the time of filing this report.
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