Suspected thief, 19, escapes lynching

A 19-year-old suspect escaped lynching by the skin of his teeth at the Wa Central lorry station in the Upper West Region (UWR) when he was subjected to severe beating by an angry mob for attempting to steal a stationary motorbike.

The suspect, Issahaku Muizdeen, who sustained multiple injuries, was saved after taking refuge in a warehouse of a store-owner, one Alhaji Inusah Sahanun.

Briefing “The Mirror”, the UWR Deputy Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Edward Oduro-Kwateng said Muizdeen attempted to ride away on the motorbike using his master key last Thursday.

The suspect, he said had wanted to capitalise on the busy commercial activities and the large number of people around the vicinity to steal the bike.

The deputy commander said as soon as he got on the bike, an on-looker who had been detailed to keep an eye on the bike raised an alarm.This attracted a mob some of whom pounced on the suspect and started beating him mercilessly.

ACP Oduro-Kwateng said sensing danger with blood oozing all over his body, Muizdeen took to his heels and sought refuge in the store of Alhaji Sahanun, while pleading for mercy.

The ACP said Alhaji Saharun in turn called in the police who responded quickly to the distress call with an ambulance.

He said it took the police a hectic time to disperse the crowd who were after the suspect’s blood. The police rushed Muizdeen on a stretcher through a back door into the waiting vehicle to the UWR Police Hospital after which they took him into custody for further investigation.

ACP Oduro-Kwateng reiterated the call to members of the public to desist from meting out instant justice to alleged suspects. He said they should rather arrest the person and hand him/her to law-enforcing agencies with the relevant information that led to the arrest for further investigations.

“We are worried at the alarming rate at which the youth are getting involved in such mob actions. Apart from innocent blood being shed, nobody has the right to take another person’s life without the due process of the law”, he said.