The Ashanti North Regional Police Command has confirmed that media personality Okatakyie Kwame Afrifa Mensah is receiving treatment under police guard at the Mampong Government Hospital after his arrest and another suspect in connection with disturbances that disrupted the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Ejura Sekyedumase East Constituency executive elections.
In a statement issued on Monday, July 13, the police said Mr Afrifa Mensah, 43, and another suspect, Osman Awuni, 44, were admitted to the hospital after complaining of ill health following their arrest on Sunday.
“The two suspects remain under police guard while receiving treatment. Investigations are ongoing, and the public will be updated on any further developments,” the statement said.
According to the police, Mr Afrifa Mensah was among seven people arrested after violence broke out at the SDA Church polling station at Wiamoase, where delegates had gathered to elect constituency executives.
The Regional Command alleged that at about 7:45 a.m., Mr Afrifa Mensah arrived at the polling centre with approximately 30 supporters. Police said security officers questioned the group’s presence, but the situation quickly escalated when some members allegedly became hostile, assaulted police personnel and disrupted the electoral process by scattering election materials.
The remaining members of the group reportedly fled the scene, with police indicating that efforts are ongoing to identify and arrest those who escaped.
Preliminary investigations, the police said, suggest that Mr Afrifa Mensah claimed some of his supporters had been excluded from participating in the electoral process and maintained that he had obtained an interlocutory injunction to stop the election.
However, the police stated that neither the Ghana Police Service nor officials of the Electoral Commission had been served with any court order or injunction directing that the constituency election be suspended.
Following the intervention of security personnel, order was restored at the polling station, allowing the voting process to continue under enhanced security.
“The election ended peacefully at about 4:00 p.m., after which the Electoral Commission duly declared the results,” the police stated.
The Ashanti North Regional Police Command said investigations into the incident are continuing and assured the public that further updates would be communicated as the case progresses.
