General News of Wednesday, 25 June 2003

Source: gna

IGP orders investigation into Sunyani shooting

Nana Owusu Nsiah, Inspector General of Police (IGP), on Tuesday directed an immediate investigation into the shooting incident that took place at the campus of Sunyani Polytechnic at the weekend, police sources told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Tuesday.

Police at the weekend in a bid to disperse demonstrating students at the Polytechnic fired on the students.

Two students of the Sunyani Polytechnic were on Sunday admitted to the Sunyani Government Hospital, one with bullet wounds and the other hit with a truncheon, following a clash with helmet-wearing armed policemen deployed to dismantle a roadblock mounted by the students on the Sunyani-Kumasi main road.

Mr Opoku Adjei King, 22, a final year student in Furniture Craft was hit by a stray bullet while Mr Sarfo Eric, was allegedly hit with a truncheon.

The students' action followed the death of Mr Mark Yaw Mensah, a 23-year-old final year student in Electrical Engineering of the Polytechnic, after allegedly being knocked down by a vehicle on Saturday night at a roundabout near the College of Renewable Natural Resources.

The late Mr Mensah was said to be returning to campus with colleagues from a dinner at Marriot Hotel, as part of the National Week celebration of the Polytechnic Electrical Students' Association of Ghana (PESAG) when the incident occurred.

For more than four hours traffic on the road came to a halt as no vehicle could cross to the other side.

More than 20 students made up of 15 males and eight females have been arrested by the police and are helping in investigations