Scores of residents of Donkorkrom in the Eastern region sustained varying degrees of injury after police reportedly fired into demonstrators there.
Five out of the injured persons are in critical condition and have been rushed to the Presbyterian Hospital at Donkorkrom, Joy FM’s regional correspondent, Kofi Siaw reported.
The residents claimed they had marched to the police station to present a petition over recent robbery incidents in the area but things turned ugly when jittery police officers started shooting into the crowds.
Thursday’s chaotic incidents followed an armed robbery incident involving two policemen and a civilian who allegedly attacked a GCB bullion pick-up van and shot the driver dead and injured another policeman on Tuesday, August 16 near Forifori in the Kwahu Afram Plains South District.
The three suspects were arrested but the two policemen among them escaped while they were being transported to Koforidua on Wednesday August 17.
The residents suspected foul play, accusing the police of allowing the police men to escape only to keep the civilian in custody.
Through the efforts of the residents, one of the escaped suspects, Corporal Kissi Abrokwa was rearrested at Nkawkaw and is currently with the Nkawkaw Command.
The robbery, escape of the police suspects were part of the petition the residents presented to the police on Thursday August 18 in which they claimed “that the three arrested persons did not operate alone and demanded proper investigations to be conducted.”
According to Joy News’ Kofi Siaw, the police indicated that they had information that the residents would attack the Donkorkrom police station on Thursday.
They opened fire on the residents when they arrived at the Police Station, injuring 16 of them in the process, the Assembly man of Donkorkrom, Shaibu Mohammed claimed.
The residents in retaliation headed to the police barracks destroyed some properties, set it ablaze and allegedly prevented the fire service from dousing the fire.
Kofi Siaw reported that the residents have mounted roadblocks to prevent the police from entering towns in the area to restore calm.
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