Police personnel in the Amansie West District in the Ashanti Region say they are living in fear, following the clubbing to death of a colleague by angry mob at Manso Keniago.

30-year-old Lance Corporal Eric Acquaye died at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital on Wednesday September, 11, two days after the attack by a section of the youth in the town.

District Police Commander, Yaw Obeng Asubonteng says the situation has demoralized the already under-staffed personnel. The death of Lance Corporal Acquaye has reduced the number of police personnel in Amansie West, the largest district in Ashanti region, to 42.

The Manso area is gaining notoriety for assaults on security personnel. Three of such attacks on the police have been recorded at Keniago this year alone.

Acquaye was attacked by a group of youth who hit his head several times with clubs, rendering him unconscious. The attack followed a failed attempt to arrest one of the youth for an alleged assault case.

An eyewitness, Yaa Tiwaah whose local restaurant the attack took place says two persons - Akwasi Adanse and one Amponsah - led the attack on the late Acquaye.

Doctors at Komfo Anokye Hospital say the deceased died from severe head injuries.

In a recent incident, the late Acquaye fired warning shots to scare angry members of the community who attacked the police station, after releasing a relative from the police cells.

A grieving Station Officer, Inspector Michael Amenumeh who showed me around the vandalized barrack wants the station at Keniago closed.

“Master we are not safe at all. The two of us cannot man this place. This town they always commit crime but they don’t like police. If you go and arrest Kofi, Kofi’s family will run to the police station and attack you [police],” Inspector Amenumeh said.

The Manso Nkwanta District Police Command has launched investigations into the matter. District Police Commander, DSP Yaw Obeng Asubonteng who condemned action of the youth is worried; such attacks put fear in personnel in the area.

“It’s very disturbing, so to speak and disheartening. We never thought of such an incident. It has reduced our numbers. Already we are very deficient in numbers. It has also put some kind of fear in those there; including myself here. We now feel that we are not that safe in working in these communities,” DSP Asubonteng revealed.