Kwabeng: Police kill mentally ill man

The police at Kwabeng in the Eastern Region on Sunday resorted to the use of a firearm to disable a mentally ill man who had charged on some police officers at the charge office with a machete.

The mentally ill man is said to have threatened to kill the police officers who were on duty.

The two officers are said to have fled the charge office and called for reinforcement from Akyem Kwabeng.

The Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr Ebenezer Tetteh explained that the mentally ill man was "very charged and poised for action."

He said the police tried to overpower him and in the process, "the mentally deranged man charged on one of the policemen ostensibly to slash him with the cutlass, to kill him, and in the process the policeman discharged the firearm, he [mentally ill man] was hit and subsequently rushed to the Edwenase Government Hospital but died whilst at the hospital receiving treatment."

He said the body has been transported to the police hospital and investigations have commenced.