[ 2017-11-14 ]

Police blame Kasoa violent attacks on under-staffing
The police has blamed the sudden resurgence of
criminal violence in Kasoa in the Central Region
on shortage of personnel.

ACP David Ampa Bennin says the criminals took
advantage of the security gap created as a result
of the police’s decision to change the
‘guards’ stationed in Kasoa.

According to him, the police personnel who were
patrolling the area had to take some rest for a
while but there was no immediate replacement
leading to that breach.

In the absence of the men, two persons have lost
their lives and one battling to keep his, after
they were attacked in a spate of two weeks.
Last week two persons were gruesomely attacked,
one of them fatally, in and around Kasoa in the
Central Region. Residents believe the attacks are
land guard related.

First, a 52-year-old commercial bus driver was
killed after an altercation over transport fares.
Family and residents have been quick to link the
murder to a tussle over land and have since been
on a warpath with authorities demanding justice.

Even before the dust on that attack would settle,
21-year-old Kwame Osei is currently battling for
his life after he was attacked with machetes
supposedly by land guards for refusing to hand
over his money to them.

Yesterday, the peace at the Peace Garden Guest
House was mutilated when a receptionist was
allegedly raped and shot by assailants.

She died shortly after the attack. The spate of
violence has left the residents vulnerable and
exposed.

ACP Ampa Bennin who is the Police commander in the
area told Joy News’ Gifty Andoh Appiah the gap
created as a result of the absence of the police
could be attributed to the resurgence of violence
in the area.

He however assured the police are back at station
and will increase snap checks and foot patrols
especially at night, to control the attacks.

When he was asked why it had to take the loss of
lives for the police to return to post, ACP Ampa
Bennin insist the police is “under staffed”
 which made it impossible to immediately replace
those who had to take leave after months of patrol
in the area.

Asked if there have been any arrests in the rape
attack, the police commander said they are still
conducting their investigation but no suspect has
yet been arrested.


He however confirmed that three persons have been
arrested in the attack of the 52-year-old

He denied assertion Kasoa is losing the war
against violent crimes insisting they working to
reduce, if not prevent it.

Contributing to the discussion, the head of the
Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training
Centre, Dr Kwasi Aning called for more
intelligence gathering and proactive intervention
to fight the menace.

He said the situation in Kasoa reflects urban
expansion and the population explosion, warning
similar violent attacks could be replicated in
many parts of the country if steps are not taken
to fight the canker in a more meticulous way.

Source - Myjoyonline.com

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