Anwiafutu (Ash)-Ghana, Feb. 6, GNA – The timely intervention of the Atwima-Mponua District Security Council (DISEC) has prevented a planned reprisal attacks on forestry officials in the area by the youth of Anwiafutu, near Nyinahin.
The intended attack on the forestry officials was to revenge the death of two teenagers from the community, who were allegedly chased by the forestry officials from an abandoned mining pit in the Offin Shelter Belt Forest Reserve, until they felt and got drowned in the Offin river.
Derick Baah 17, and Atta Panin 18, were said to have drowned in the Offin River on January 29, this year, when they attempted to flee from the forestry officials, who attempted to arrest them for engaging in illegal mining activities in the forest reserve.
The DISEC, which was led by Mr Isaac Kofi Marfo, the District Chief Executive (DCE), visited the community on Thursday, and pleaded with the youth and the bereaved family members to exercise restraint as the police begin investigations into the matter.
The DCE advised them to have confidence in the police and not to take the law into their own hands.
He said any violent act that would result in the death of people or destruction to property would not solve the problem but would rather, affect the peace of the community.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr Prince Jude Cobbinah, the Nkawie Divisional Police Commander, assured the people that, whoever would be found culpable in the matter would face the law and asked the people to help the police by providing credible information to aid in the investigations.
He said the district forestry office had released the seven officials, who were involved in the operation on that fateful day, to assist the police in their investigations.
Abusuapanin Agyei Manu, who spoke on behalf of the bereaved family and the community, said the people were standing by the words of the DISEC to seek justice for the innocent young men, who had lost their lives in that manner.
He said what the people needed was justice for the family of the deceased persons and urged the police to expedite investigations to bring tempers down in the community.
