Soldier shoots policewoman on COVID-19 duty at Tema New Town (UPDATE)

A soldier on COVID-19 duty has allegedly shot a policewoman whom he was on duty with at Tema New Town in the Tema Metropolis of the Greater Accra Region.

The incident happened Thursday morning but it is unclear what might have provoked the action.

The policewoman, Lance Corporal Francisca Tengey sustained injuries on the right tigh and was rushed to the Tema General Hospital, where she was treated and discharged.

The soldier, Able Seaman 1 (AB1) Oppong Bekoe of the Naval Headquarters, Burma Camp was initially detained at the Tema Naval Base but has been released to his unit commander pending further investigation to determine what led to the discharge of his weapon.

Facts

A statement issued by the Tema Regional Police Command and signed by the acting Public Relations Officer (PRO) Chief Inspector Stella Dede Dzakpasu, said the Regional Police Command received information on Thursday, April 9, 2020, at about 6.00am, that a police Lance Coporal by name Francisca Tengey of the Tema Regional Police DOVVSU, had been shot while on duty.

She said police intelligence rushed to the scene and an observation revealed spots of blood around a snap check point mounted for the operation COVID Safety at Tema Newtown, where the police officer was assigned for duty.

According to the her, further investigations revealed that, while on duty, the said policewoman was accidentally shot in her lower right thigh from behind by the soldier who was also detailed for the same operation at the said checkpoint

The statement added that the victim was rushed to the Tema General Hospital, where she was treated and discharged.

At the time of filing this report officers of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Tema Regional Police Command were locked in a meetimg at the Tema Regional Police Headquarters.

Minor Injury

The Medical Director of the Tema General Hospital, Dr. Richard Anthony in an interview with journalists described the injury as a minor one.