The Ghana Police Service on Monday announced that the Deputy Regional Commander in the Ashanti Region, has been removed following the shooting incident at the Islamic Senior High School in Kumasi.

The decision comes after the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampre led a team from the Police Headquarters to Kumasi immediately following the disturbances recorded at the Islamic SHS.

The Service in a press statement said that even though no Student was hit by a bullet, the Police handling of the incident was poor and fell short of the Police standard operating procedure on crowd control.

As a result the Deputy Regional Police Commander, DCOP/Mr Kwasi Akomeah-Apraku, who was acting as the Regional Commander has been removed from his position and has been interdicted.

Two other officers, ACP/Mr George Ankomah, the Regional Operations Officer and ACP/Mr Alex Cudjoe Acquah, the Suame Divisional Police Commander have also been interdicted to make way for a thorough investigation into the incident.

The Police Professional Standards Bureau [PPSB] has commenced a full-scale investigation into the conduct of the officers who were responsible for the Police action.

Background: 

On Monday, June 13, 2022, some students of the Islamic Senior High School, Abrepo, Kumasi, took to the streets, and blocked sections of the road to demonstrate against frequent motor traffic accidents in from of their school.

The Police responded to disperse the students and open the road to normal traffic flow. The students pelted the Police with stones and the Police used pepper spray and fired warning shots in an attempt to disperse them.

About 25 students were hospitalized after Police allegedly opened tear gas on them while they were protesting.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare subsequently led a team from the Police Headquarters to Kumasi immediately following the disturbances at the Islamic Senior High School.

The team met with the school authorities and visited the students who had been sent to Suntreso Government Hospital, Kwadaso Hospital and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for medical attention. Some injured police officers who were receiving medical care at the Police Clinic in Kumasi were also visited.

Most of the students and the police officers who sustained minor injuries and were taken to the hospital have been treated and discharged.