Crime & Punishment of Friday, 1 September 2006

Source: GNA

Police officer's gun went off during outdooring reception

Kumasi, Aug. 31, GNA - Rollicking moments at an outdooring party held at Yenyawoso in Kumasi got to an anti climax when suddenly one of the guests who is a police officer inadvertently shot himself and another person.

The mind-boggling incident which saw the merry-making guests fleeing for their lives was held at the Coronest Spot, a drinking spot at Yenyawoso, near Dichenso in Kumasi, by a police officer whose name was only given as Emma to outdoor his new born baby.

Both the police officer and victim are receiving treatment at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.

Kwasi Kodua, an eyewitness, said about 1700 hours when the otherwise very successful heavily attended ceremony had reach its peak, the policeman, who had been spotted earlier outside the bar attempting to fire his locally manufactured gun into the air, entered the bar. Kodua said while inside the bar, the police officer still fidgeted with the gun pointing the barrel to his palm. The gun then suddenly went off removing a big chunk of flesh from his palm while stray bullet also hit the shoulder of another person standing close to him at the time. Some guests conveyed the two of them to KATH while the gun was retrieved and deposited with the New Tafo police in Kumasi. The Ashanti Regional Police Command has confirmed the story, saying it was investigating the case.