General News of Wednesday, 4 September 2002

Source: Simmons Yussif Kewura, Sunyani

NPP executives pummelled, one hospitalised

Some elements of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) youth at Atebubu South Constituency, have subjected some of their leaders to severe beatings over the position of chairman of the constituency.

The constituency youth organiser, Mr. Peter Owusu, is in a critical condition at the Mampong Government Hospital, after receiving brutal beatings by the youth allegedly led by the NADMO Co-ordinator, Mr. Musa and one Tofic.

Chronicle sources at Atebubu, revealed that the youth on Saturday, August 31, 2002, planned to attack the party executive but it was unearthed by the district BNI officer at Atebubu.

When they were confronted by the authorities, they denied having knowledge of such a plan.

On that Saturday, according to Chronicle investigation, the youth became aggrieved and matched straight to the acting chairman’s house to demand his blood, but fortunately, he was not there.

As “a hungry man is an angry man” they diverted their anger on the wife of the chairman and beat her up.

Our investigation further revealed that the constituency secretary was also not spared.

It revealed that the secretary was beaten till he became unconscious.

The youth organiser of NPP at the constituency, according to our source, received the beating as he was trying to escape the wrath, and decided to run to the police station.

The aggrieved section of the youth intercepted him on the way and subjected him to a brutal beating. One of the chiefs of the Atebubu Traditional Council had to intervene to stop them from lynching the poor organiser.

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Atebubu, Cassius Osei Poku, managed to escape the wrath.

He ran to his hometown, Amante, to take refuge, but his brother however had his share of the beating.

The DCE, in a telephone message, confirmed the matter.

He narrated that at the time he arrived from Amante, where he went to seek refuge, the District Co-ordinating Director had sent for the military to keep peace in the town.

Mr. Opoku further disclosed that on Sunday, September 1, when he returned from Amante, “his refugee camp”, he asked the wife to prepare a meal for the soldiers and according to him he sent his brother to go to town and buy some cooking oil to be used for the preparation of the food.

He explained that his brother and a driver of the party Niva car, went to Atebubu town to purchase oil.

When the youth met them in town, they stopped them and beat them severely.

The brother and driver were saved by soldiers when information got to them at his residence.

The vehicle was confiscated from the driver and “it was even damaged by the aggrieved angry youth.”

The soldiers were not able to arrest anybody at the scene.

At the time of filing this report, the presence of the soldiers had brought calm to Atebubu town.

The condition of the youth organiser, as revealed by the DCE, is not certain. He maintained that he doesn’t know what would follow if Mr. Doodo dies.

Our contact with the Police Regional Commander, ACP E.O. Brakatu, confirmed the incident.

He told Chronicle that so far two assailants have been arrested.

The remaining six others, who were involved in the incidents, are at large.

Mr. Brakatu hinted that the Paramount Chief of Atebubu Traditional Area has promised to produce the six others by the close of yesterday.

He further hinted that the police officer in-charge of Atebubu is yet to furnish him with a detailed report on the incident. So far, seven executives have been beaten up.