The Accra Regional Police Command has justified the killing of 25-year-old Divine Akuinor, who, they claim, stole a lady’s handbag containing an iPhone, together with another accomplice.

The incident happened on Saturday, 5 January 2019 between 1 a.m. and 1.30 a.m. at Malik-Adjorman, a suburb of Teshie in Accra.

According to an eyewitness, identified only as Gabby, the deceased was shot together with a mechanic, Dennis Kojo, by a police patrol team, who visited the area following the snatching of a lady's handbag by unknown persons.

Gabby, who was at the scene, stated: “What happened is that after searching me, they [police] brought a lady out to ask her if I'm the one who snatched the phone, and she said no. So, after searching me, they heard a motorbike coming around the corner, so, they quickly drove there and I heard gunshots. They were two, so, I rushed there to see who they shot, but they [police] didn't allow me and many people were coming out to see who they shot, but they took him and put him in the van and drove off."

Narrating the incident to ClassFMonline.com, a brother of the deceased, Gameli Akuinor, said: “The whole of Saturday, we tried calling him [Divine] but he wasn't picking up. My sister sent a WhatsApp message around 6 p.m. asking if he was with me because I don't live with them, but I said no. My mum called around 8 p.m. to find out again but I said no he wasn't. The following day, I called around 5 a.m. and they said he had not returned. I went there and when I got there, I went to his room, his fan was on, the TV was on, which meant he was only taking a stroll.

“We went to GREDA Estates Police station and met one Christine Manu, who was jovial about the whole thing that he is an adult and he was going to get back home, but we were sceptical because it was unlike him, so, we lodged a complaint and went to the Nungua police station, where I spoke to one gentleman and learnt that there was an incident, so, he called one Mr Arhinful, who sent the pictures of my dead brother. When I saw it, I just shook my head.

“Apparently, a lady had lodged a complaint with the police about her missing handbag which was snatched from her by unknown persons. The police patrol team came around the area and shot Divine and Kojo after carrying out a search.

“Divine got shot twice and died, according to an eye witness.”

The deceased, until his death, was a credit officer with Easy Microfinance.

His remains have since been deposited at the Police Hospital Morgue.

On Thursday, 10 January 2019, the Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Efia Tenge told Accra-based Citi FM that: “From the angle of the Police, a lady was attacked and her handbag, together with her iPhone were (sic) snatched from her by two guys, and that was in the late hours of Friday, 4th January 2019. She sought help from the Police snap checkpoint.

“There, she was handed over to a patrol team to assist her. Search efforts to arrest these suspects began until they came across these two young men on their robbery escapades, and in an attempt to demobilise them, the rider fell and escaped. The Police states that the deceased was not shot in any mistaken identity as it is being alleged or claimed by the family. Rather, he died through gunshot wounds he sustained from the Police after robbing the lady.”