An English tutor at the Islamic Senior High School (SHS) in the Ashanti Region, Kofi Antwi, is seeking justice for what he alleged was police brutality meted out to him in the Islamic SHS and police clash.
He currently cannot see as his head and face has been bandaged as a result of the assault meted out to him in the melee that ensued last Monday was battered by crowd-control Police until he fell and even denied access to the hospital.
Narrating his ordeal to the media as the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament visited the school on a fact-finding mission on Friday to ascertain what led to the fracas, the tutor who now walks with assistance said all he set out from home that day to do was to teach.
“I was coming to teach because I had classes in the morning. So when I got to the entrance, I realised the students were on the street. I inquired and was told they were demonstrating to demand for speed ramps due to the incessant knockdown of colleagues.
“So I stood there and said they have a genuine concern. That’s all I said and the police claimed I incited them to pour on the streets. They (police) used the butt of their guns to hit me several times before dragging me to the police station,” Mr Antwi recounted.
With a white bandage wrapped around his head and covering both eyes, he questioned why authorities had to wait for students to demonstrate over erection of speed ramps after several appeals to the department of Urban Roads.
“Students should not have to be on the street before things are done right. I am not happy the demonstration came off but the students were justified, though bleeding from the brutalities of the armed policemen, my prayer to them was to take me to the hospital yielded no result.
“When we were even going to the police station, I was telling them that I was severely wounded because of the bruises, but they never took me serious, though treated and discharged, the effect of the manhandling by the police has left him in pains. I feel severe headache, pains in both eyes and body and as you can see, I cannot walk without assistance and I do not know when they will heal.
FROM JULIUS YAO PETETSI, KUMASI
