A 51-year-old pillion rider’s journey in town was cut short last Wednesday when he died of a gunshot wound from a policeman’s rifle at Gbintiri in the East Mamprusi Municipality in the North East Region.
The incident has sparked tension and controversy, with the police describing the fatal shooting as accidental in a counterclaim to accounts by eyewitnesses.
Eyewitnesses say Mawutor Banakar was fatally shot by the unnamed policeman over a GH¢10 extortion claim at a police checkpoint at Gbintiri.
The police, however, dispute the claim, maintaining that the shooting incident happened when Banakar held the policeman’s gun and attempted to snatch it from him.
They said it was during the struggle that the trigger went off, killing Banakar in cold blood.
The incident has left the community on edge as tension rises over the death of the civilian.
Meanwhile, the policeman at the centre of the controversy has been taken into custody while investigations continue.
Given the volatile security situation in the area, there are fears that the incident could further inflame tensions and undermine trust between security personnel and the local population.
Banakar, the Daily Graphic gathered, was travelling on the motorbike with another man from Gaboni in the Northern Region to the Gbintiri Market when they were stopped by police officers at the checkpoint.
Multiple checks by the Daily Graphic suggested that the officer, who was on duty with a colleague, repeatedly demanded GH¢10 from the travellers before he would allow them to proceed.
The riders, the sources indicated, questioned the demand, which led to a heated argument between the civilians and the police officers.
During the altercation, one of the officers opened fire, fatally shooting the pillion rider, one of the sources said.
The Assembly Member for the Gbintiri Electoral Area, Manla Gbenja, corroborated the claims.
“I understand the police officers demanded GH¢10 from the riders, but they insisted they could offer only GH¢5, which infuriated the officers, resulting in the confrontations and the shooting incident,” he claimed.
Tension rising
The incident has heightened tension at Gbintiri, as angry residents have condemned the action, demanding justice for the deceased.
The residents have called for an independent investigation into the matter, saying they could not trust the police to handle a matter of death involving another policeman fairly and without bias.
Locals who spoke to the Daily Graphic accused police officers stationed at the Gbintiri checkpoint of extortion, saying the officers routinely stopped travellers, particularly traders, to extort money from them on market days.
The residents, who spoke to the Daily Graphic on condition of anonymity, expressed frustration over what they described as persistent harassment and intimidation by police officers on the Gbintiri-Gaboni road.
“We are tired of the constant demands for money at the checkpoint.
They stop everyone, especially market women, and ask for money before allowing us to pass,” one resident lamented.
“What happened to Mawutor is painful and unacceptable. We want justice to be served, and the officer responsible must be punished. The police are supposed to protect us, not kill us,” another resident said.
They, therefore, appealed to the Police Administration and the Ministry for the Interior to, as a matter of urgency, investigate the incident to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of the pillion rider.
Reaction
The Public Affairs Officer of the North East Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Robert Anabiik Anmain, disputed the extortion claim and presented a different version of events.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the officers were on duty at a checkpoint when two men on a motorbike arrived.
During a search, the pillion rider, now deceased, suddenly became furious and held the weapon of one of the officers in an attempt to snatch it from him,” he narrated.
He added that a struggle ensued between the officer and the pillion rider, during which the weapon discharged accidentally, hitting his upper arm and injuring him.
The officer also sustained bruises, and his uniform was torn in the process.
DSP Anmain said that although the victim was rushed to hospital, he was pronounced dead on arrival.
He indicated that the officer involved has since been taken into custody to assist with investigations.
Writer’s email: mohammed.fugu@graphic.com
