Ahafo Region: Two dead following clashes at Ayomso, Akrodie

Two people have been confirmed dead following a bloody clash that occurred last Friday evening between some woodworkers of Ayomso and Akrodie, farming communities in the Asunafo North Municipality of the Ahafo Region.

The deceased, Kofi Gyamfi, 27 and David Asuming, 24, were said to have sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to the Goaso Government Hospital and the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi respectively but were pronounced dead on arrival.

According to the police, several people, including children also sustained injuries and were rushed to different hospital for treatment in the area.

Information gathered by Graphic Online indicates that tension between the two groups started mounting about three weeks ago when some suspected illegal chainsaw operators moved into a forest reserve near Tipokrom where a man identified as Zedane from Akrodie had his concession to operate.

During their operation, Zedane came to the area and seized their chainsaw machine, while he was returning home but some youth at Ayomso mounted a roadblock and attacked him with cutlasses and retrieved the machine and left him injured.

It was alleged that the matter was reported to the police, but the police failed to arrest the culprits hence the revenge attack at Ayomso last Friday.

Police briefing

The Bono Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chief Inspector Augustine Kinsley Oppong, who is also in-charge of Bono East and Ahafo regions told Graphic Online that police received information that there was a bloody clash between some youth of Akrodie and Ayomso at Ayomso during which several people were injured.

According to him, police investigation revealed that some men fired gun shots from a pickup vehicle which was moving from Gyasikrom through Akrodie to Ayomso during which David Kofi Marfo, Kofi Bandona, Isaac Kyere and another person identified as Alias inspector were wounded.

Chief Inspector Oppong explained that the victims were rushed to the Goaso Government Hospital for treatment whilst the suspects sped off to Akrodie.

He said police gathered at Akrodie that some youth from the town also sustained cutlass and gunshot wounds and were currently on admission at the Akrodie Clinic receiving treatment.

Chief Inspector Oppong said police again proceeded to the clinic and saw three male adults with various injuries receiving treatment.

He explained that police could not capture names of the victims because there was tension mounted by the youth at the clinic and power outage suspected to have been damaged during the violence clashed.

Chief Inspector Oppong said a victim Gideon Oppong whose condition was critical was rushed to Hwidiem St Elizabeth Hospital for treatment while others had been treated and discharged.

He said at the Goaso Government Hospital, the police met victims Isaac Kyere, 26; Kofi Marfo, 29; and Kofi Abondona, 28, Alias inspector, 30, all with various degrees of cutlass wounds as well as the deceased, David Asuming lying at the emergency ward of the hospital with cutlass wounds on the left side of his chest.

Chief Inspector Oppong said the police team extended its enquiries to Akrodie and visited the house of Zidane who was alleged to have masterminded the crime but he was nowhere to be found.

He explained, however, that calm had been restored in the two towns.