A 51-year-old pillion rider, identified as Mawutor Banakar, died last Wednesday from a gunshot wound reportedly fired by a policeman at a checkpoint in Gbintiri, located in the East Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region. The fatal incident has ignited high tension and controversy, with police and eyewitness accounts sharply conflicting over the circumstances
Conflicting Accounts of the Shooting
The police, through DSP Robert Anabiik Anmain, Public Affairs Officer of the North East Regional Police Command, stated that the officer sustained bruises and a torn uniform during the struggle. Banakar, despite being rushed to the hospital, was pronounced dead on arrival.
Community Outcry and Rising Tension
Banakar was traveling on the motorbike with another man from Gaboni in the Northern Region to the Gbintiri Market when they were stopped by police officers.
The incident has left the Gbintiri community on edge, with angry residents condemning the action and demanding justice for the deceased. Locals accuse police officers stationed at the Gbintiri checkpoint of routine extortion, particularly targeting traders on market days.
Residents, speaking anonymously, expressed frustration over persistent harassment: “We are tired of the constant demands for money at the checkpoint… What happened to Mawutor is painful and unacceptable. We want justice to be served, and the officer responsible must be punished.”
They have called for an independent investigation, arguing they cannot trust the police to fairly handle a death involving one of their own personnel. Given the volatile security situation in the area, there are serious concerns that the incident could further undermine trust between security forces and the local population.
The policeman at the center of the controversy has been taken into custody to assist with ongoing investigations.
