Five persons have been lynched at Nyinawusu in the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipality of the Ashanti Region after they were accused of being armed robbers.

According to the police, their investigations show that the deceased persons and one other were illegal miners from Akorabuokrom in the Atwima Mponua district who went to the area to engage in mining activities.

The police say after they engaged in the mining activities on Thursday evening, they were invited to the Nyinawusu Chief’s palace and interrogated as some residents accused them of being behind armed robbery activities that took place in the area a few days ago.

The residents besieged the Chief’s palace and threatened to lynch the accused persons.

The Chief then called on police to intervene, but the residents prevented the police from having access to the accused persons.

The police called for reinforcement, but before they arrived, the residents had killed four of the suspects as one was in critical condition, but later died at the hospital.

One of the accused persons was however able to escape.

Speaking to Citi News, the District Police Commander for Nyinahin, DSP Jerry James Amekah said residents of Akorabuokrom where all the five persons who were lynched came from, have been threatening to engage in reprisal attacks if the perpetrators are not apprehended as early as possible.

“The police used minimum force, but it couldn’t work. They even damaged two of our vehicles and injured some of our personnel.”

“One of them even used a knife to cut the throat [of one of the accused persons]. That’s very barbaric indeed,” DSP Amekah said.

The Chief of Akorabuokrom, Nana Kwaku Frimpong, in an interview with Citi News, stated that they want authorities to ensure justice is served.

“The government has to do something to catch those who did that criminal offence. There is no way around it. Lynching is a criminal offence. The suspects didn’t do anything, and they killed them,” the chief said.