Police investigate shooting incident at La Pleasure Beach

The La Police Command has begun an investigation into the circumstances that made a police man to fire gunshots following a misunderstanding between him and a waitress at the La Pleasure Beach in Accra.

According to reports, the policeman, who is attached to the Brong Ahafo Regional Special Weapons and Tactical (SWAT) Unit, fired the gunshots last Sunday, after refusing to pay the full cost of the food he and two others ate at the La Pleasure Beach in Accra.

The policeman, Wilson Azantilow, with service No 2681, went to the La Pleasure Beach in the company of two ladies to have fun and ordered food and drinks amounting to GH¢173.

He was said to have paid GH¢35 and purportedly refused to pay the balance of GH¢138.

While leaving the spot, the waitress (name unknown) demanded the remaining amount but Azantilow, who felt offended to have been accosted in the presence of the two ladies, pulled a pistol and threatened to shoot the waitress.

Azantilow was alleged to have fired shots which created a scene at the beach.

Police response

Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mrs Afia Tenge, has given a different narration of the incident.

She said prior to the incident, Azantilow and a lady agreed to hang out at the beach.

Mrs Tenge said Azantilow later called and told the lady that he could not make it to the place due to an emergency and rather sent money to the lady, through mobile money transfer, to have fun with.

Mrs Tenge said the lady, after some time, called Azantilow on phone and complained that she was bored sitting alone.  This led Asantilow to go to the beach to be with her.

She said the lady was in the company of two others when the policeman arrived and he joined them.  

Misunderstanding

After they had wined and dined, the policeman dolled out Gh¢35 to pay for his expenses and left the lady to also pay for her bill and that of her friends, since he had earlier sent her some money.

“As soon as he was about to leave, the waitress demanded that he paid the ladies’ bill and that resulted in a confrontation.

 The lady raised an alarm and when the policeman saw the crowd approaching him, he fired a warning shot,” Mrs Tenge narrated.

Mrs Tenge said the policeman, after firing the gunshots, went to the police station and made a report.
She said the case was being investigated and that the police would issue a report when completed.