Accra Police Command to beef up security at Achimota School in wake of strange killings
The Accra Regional Police Commander, Dr George Dampare, has allayed the fears of residents close to Achimota School in Accra following reports of discoveries of dead bodies in the area.
Some residents had claimed they were living in fear following the discovery of about five bodies on the school premises and other places close by in less than a year.
The latest discovery of a decomposed body near a church building close to the school heightened the fear and panic among the residents.
The reports prompted the Accra Regional Police Commander to visit the school and its environs yesterday.
Though some residents suspect the body could be that of someone who was murdered somewhere and dumped in the bush, others are of the view that it could be the body of a lunatic or one of the numerous ‘wee’ smokers who engage in their smoking in the bush in the area.
Visit
After interacting with the Headmistress of Achimota School, Mrs Beatrice Tsotso Adom, Dr Dampare said the police would intensify patrols in the area and ensure that the people lived in peace.
At the time of the visit, a pathologist from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital was examining the body before it was later moved to an undisclosed site for burial.
Dr Dampare said the police had immediately cordoned off the area in accordance with standard policing procedures and also contacted the Environmental Health Department to assess the situation from the health point of view.
As part of the community engagement programme which the Accra Regional Commander said would be a regular feature, he interacted with traditional and opinion leaders at Achimota, Kesseiman and Christian Village, members of the community and some golfers at the Achimota Golf Course.
Briefing the Accra Regional Commander and his team on the security challenges facing Achimota School, Mrs Adom said the increasing number of deaths was causing panic among the students.
She said apart from drug abusers who had pitched camp close to the school, there was also the challenge of lunatics walking onto the compound when classes were in session.
She urged the police to help the school deal with encroachers who were gradually taking over the school land.
“Some of the encroachers have armed land guards who protect the encroached lands, while building works take place,” she said.
According to her, religious activities such as deliverance sessions close to the school made it unbearable for teachers and students to concentrate on their studies.
Chief’s concern
Speaking at the community engagement session, the Chief of Christian Village, Togbe Annang Agboda, expressed worry over the activities of encroachers and the free movement of mentally deranged people which were causing insecurity in the area.
He, therefore, appealed to the relevant stakeholders to help rid the area of encroachers.
A resident, Emma Lartey, later in an interview, told the Daily Graphic that residents had of late restricted their movements, especially at night, while they kept an eye on the activities of suspicious characters.
