Police in the Bono Region has debunked reports that the man who was seen in a video being assaulted by some palace guards at Sunyani is a police officer.

The video which has gone viral on social media saw the man in a black attire being attacked by some armed palace guards in traffic, during the ongoing funeral rites of the late Paramount Queen-Mother of the Sunyani Traditional Area, Nana Nyamaa Poduo II.

The video also saw some police officers from the Motor Traffic and Transport Department alleged to have engaged in the attack sparking outrage among a section of Ghanaians on social and traditional media platforms.

It still remains unclear what sparked the attacks.

But a statement from the police on Monday, however, said the victim is not an officer.

“He may be an employee of one of the private security firms”, the statement signed by Bono Regional Police Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Nana Kwaku Duah read.

The police said it had also held talks with representatives of the Funeral Steering Committee “to point out some excesses on the part of some Abrafuo (palace guards) and the need to uphold the rights of individuals”.

The Funeral Rites

The late Nana Yaa Nyamaa Puduo II died in August 2019 and would be buried on Saturday, February 29, 2020.

The Ghana Education Service has also announced that all public and private basic schools in the Sunyani Municipality will be closed down on Thursday and Friday.

This is part of activities to mark the funeral rites of the late Queen-Mother.

According to the Sunyani Municipal Education Directorate, all heads of basic schools in the Municipality have been communicated to on this directive.

“We had a petition from the Traditional Council through the Municipal Assembly so the Assembly wrote a letter to the Regional director requesting pupils to stay at home on 27th this Thursday and Friday 28th of February…, said Ameyaa Kumi Yeboah, spokesperson for the Sunyani Municipal Education Directorate.

“So the Director-General approved of the request and so the pupils are staying out of school”, she further explained.

The late Queen-Mother died at age 64.

She left behind four children, two females and two males.

Nana Nyamaa was installed Queen at 17 and ruled for 47 years.