Three young men who went on a fishing expedition in River Ochi between Assin Andoe and Assin Besease in the Central region are in critical condition and receiving treatment at various hospitals at Assin Fosu, Manso, and Anyinabrim respectively following an attack unleashed on them by an angry mob.
According to reports, the victims traveled about 4 kilometres from Assin Ochiso to Assin Andoe to embark on the fishing activities.
The victims, Kojo Brefo, Yakubu Ampiah, and “Liefo” sustained various degrees of injuries amid the attack over suspicion of holding a fertilizer sack containing two heads of human beings at Assin Besease.
The report revealed a yet-to-be-identified person announced in the community that the victims had killed some children and had put their heads in a sack, sneaked into the bush leaving their vehicle behind.
Alarmed by the information, the angry youth at both Assin Andoe and Assin Besease mobilised to pursue the supposed murderers in the bush.
The charged crowd met the victims’ vehicle, a Hyundai Elantra with registration number GN-7627-13 parked by the roadside some few metres from the river at Andoe and started smashing the windscreens with clubs and other objects.
The youth proceeded to arrest the victims near the river while fishing and assaulted then with sticks, clubs, and other offensive weapons in an attempt to lynch them.
The timely intervention by the heavily armed police officers led by the Assin South District Police Commander, ASP Robert Kyeremeh proved essential as it contributed immensely to saving the lives of the hapless-looking fishermen even though some of them had their ribs broken while others suffered bruises all over their bodies. They were then rushed to the hospitals for medical attention.
Also, the Head of the Assin South District Police Intelligence Taskforce, Inspector Maxwell Alale who led the operation, and some officers in the process of saving the victims from lynching received gleam slaps and punches from the angry attackers leading to minor injuries.
Consequently, the human heads that the people allegedly claimed were contained in the sack, turned out to be fishing nets and stones when the police opened them.
Residents of the Assin enclave are wide awake and alert due to the recent ritual murder cases recorded in the area in which some of the body parts of the victims were removed.
However, the unflinching effort of the police has sustained the peaceful atmosphere in the area whilst mechanisms to maintain law and order are in full force.
The police cautioned the public against false alarms, causing fear and panic, and instant justice as they are considered serious crimes.
By Adwoa Kwanimaa|Assin Fosu
