Aiyinase Violence: Ghana Police Service reveals Karela United breached public order act in build up to chaotic clash – Asempa FM
Commander in charge of the Ellembelle District branch of the Ghana Police Service ASP Kofi Darko has revealed Karela United FC breached the public order in the build up to their MTN FA Cup clash with Medeama SC clash at the CAM Park in Aiyinase.
Violent scenes were recorded at the venue as Karela United fans attacked Medeama midfielder Eric Kwakwa who sustained horrific head injury. Medeama’s ultra-modern team bus was also attacked by irate fans who smashed the windscreen of the vehicle and caused various degrees of damage to the bus.
Ahead of the round of 32 fixture Medeama officially wrote to the Ghana FA to notify the association of what they described as looming insecurity ahead of the game and went further to claim that some fans of Karela had phoned into radio station programmes in Sekondi Takoradi and Esiama to threaten violence and intimidation against the Yellow and Mauves, asking the FA to take action.
The 1994 Ghana Public Order Act, 491, requires organisers of special events to notify the Ghana Police Service to ensure peace and order. Section 1 sub-section 1 of the act states: “Any person who desires to hold any special event within the meaning of this Act in any public place shall notify the police of his intention not less than 5 days before the date of the special event.”
The District Police Commander of Ellembelle District in the Western Region ASP Kofi Darko has revealed on Asempa FM that Karela United FC failed to comply with the sub-section of the Police Order Act that requires them to notify the Ghana Police Service ahead of the game.
“Karela United FC didn’t officially write to us to provide security for the game. Normally it is required that the club officially write to us so that we properly make arrangements for security for the game but we got the notification just about 24 hours ahead of the game when they came by word of mouth to request for police presence,” he told Benedict Kwadwo Mensah.
The Ghana Football Association has indefinitely shut down the CAM Park following the violence and have opened disciplinary action against the club. The action from the GFA has caused the chief of Aiyinase to respond public and criticised the decision, saying the football governing body is exercising selective justice.
Meanwhile the Tarkwa divisional police command has arrested two individuals in connection with the violence. The Police service keep the duo in custody before 24 hours without putting them before court. Article 14(2) of the 1992 Ghana Constitution states that “A person who is arrested, restricted or detained shall be informed immediately, in a language that he understands, of the reasons for his arrest, restriction or detention and of his right to a lawyer of his choice; (3) A person who is arrested, restricted or detained – (a) for the purpose of bringing him before a court in execution of an order of a court; or (b) upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed or being about to commit a criminal offence under the laws of Ghana, and who is not released, shall be brought before a court within forty-eight hours after the arrest, restriction or detention.”
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Source: Sports
