By Edward Williams
Hohoe (V/R), Dec. 11, GNA – Bismark Charles Opare, a 29-year-old taxi driver, died on Saturday from a suspected stray bullet discharged during a Police operation at Gbi Wegbe in the Hohoe Municipality.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Jonathan Lamptey, Hohoe Divisional Commander of Hohoe, who confirmed the incident to the GNA, said an investigation had begun into the incident.
He appealed to the youth to remain calm and assist the Police in the investigations.
Mr Andy Agbi, a cousin of the deceased, who also confirmed the incident Saturday to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said that the body had been sent to the morgue for autopsy.
He said the cousin was not connected to the supposed operation by the Police officers but a bystander before being struck by the bullet at about 0000 hours.
Mr Agbi said information available to them showed that the said officers were not from the Hohoe Municipality but from Ho on a special mission.
He said his last meeting with the deceased was after the Argentina and Netherlands match on Friday, December 9, in the ongoing World Cup tournament in Qatar, and only received the unfortunate message at 0137 hours.
Mr Agbi said he rushed to see the lifeless body of his cousin with an opening on the left side of his abdomen, exposing the internal organs.
He said the family and youth of the town were patiently waiting for the law to take its course and believed justice would be delivered.
Mr Agbi who conducted the GNA round the incident scene showed how bullets discharged had penetrated a nearby wall.
An eyewitness, who wished not to be named, said he followed the situation until the deceased was hit.
He said the officers, who were in two Police vehicles, were not in any uniform that identified them with the Service.
The eyewitness said after the football match, a youth went out to pick something from his vehicle, parked at a round-about in town but was handcuffed without offending the law.
He said the Police officers led the handcuffed youth to his house, apparently to conduct a search.
The witness narrated that townfolks around followed the officers until they got to their destination and watched the officers banged into the ‘suspect’s’ room and brought out some items and also arrested one other person.
He said people were massing up, resulting in the Police officers giving warning shots, which allegedly struck Opare, while he screamed for help until death.
Mr Agbi said the body of the deceased was conveyed to the morgue at about 0900 hours on Saturday.
The Officers subsequently left the scene with those arrested together with the items picked from the house.
GNA