46 additional individuals detained for Kwahu Bepong assaults

The Ghana Police Service (GPS) has arrested forty-six more persons in connection with attacks on the Bepong Chiefs palace and some Police officers at Kwahu Bepong in the Eastern Region.

 

Earlier, the police detained 25 individuals linked to the assault, bringing the total number of arrested suspects to 71.

These suspects, along with others currently evading capture, assaulted the Bepong Chiefs Palace on February 4, 2024, causing injuries to seven individuals, including five police officers.

 

The police, in a statement, said security, law, and order have since been restored in the Bepong township, adding that all the suspects will be put before the court to face justice.

According to the police, 40 of the suspects who have so far been identified to have played various roles in the attacks and have been linked to available evidence, have been detained to assist in the investigation.

Two individuals reportedly died from stray bullets fired by the police during a chaotic situation aimed at dispersing a violent crowd.

The incident took place at the chief’s palace, where the police intervened to rescue a suspect accused of double murder at Adwumasu, a farming community in the Kwahu South Municipality.

The alleged perpetrator, 23-year-old Kwasi Tenkorang, is identified as an ex-convict who allegedly raped and murdered a 45-year-old woman named Akua Kyerewaa.

Additionally, a 65-year-old man, Kwasi Antwi, who attempted to save his sister during the assault, was fatally struck on the head with a metal bar. These events highlight a tragic chain of events surrounding a violent crime and the ensuing police response, resulting in further casualties amidst an already devastating situation.

 

An eyewitness whose name was only given as Frederick, and who was on his way to the farm, narrowly escaped death after witnessing the incident and being chased by the suspect.

The suspect, who had been evading authorities since the incident, was apprehended on Sunday, February 4th, and transported to the chief’s palace.

Upon hearing of the arrest, community members rushed to the palace, demanding immediate retribution, but police intervention thwarted their efforts.

Instead, when the police intervened to prevent the lynching of the suspect, the crowd turned violent, assaulting the officers by hurling stones and other objects at them.