Gindabour residents flee after teacher and police officer die in separate incidents

A confrontation between residents and a police officer has left the Gindabour community on edge following the reported deaths of a primary school teacher and a police officer in separate but linked incidents this week.

Several private properties, including vehicles, motorcycles and houses, have been vandalised, forcing some residents to flee the town.

JoyNews’ sources among residents in Sawla, Tuna and Gindabour allege that angry police personnel who took over the town carried out the vandalism in protest over the death of their colleague, Redeemer Owusu.

Some of the properties reportedly destroyed belong to the chief of Kog, including a Toyota Land Cruiser with registration number 1727-10 and his five-bedroom private residence, among others.

The unrest began on Wednesday night along the Gindabour road in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District, where a teacher identified as Seidu Abu of Gindabour D/A Primary School died following an encounter with police officers stationed in the area.

According to preliminary accounts from residents, Seidu was travelling to his farm on September 17 when officers signalled him to stop. After he allegedly failed to comply, he was later found dead.

Reports indicate that officers were transporting his body back towards Gindabour when news of his death reached the community.

The death sparked immediate outrage among residents, who accused the police of killing him.

• Read also: Police arrest 36 suspects over lynching of officer at Gindabour

Hours later, in what an eyewitness described as retaliatory mob action, a police officer identified only as Owusu was reportedly lynched by residents of Gindabour.

The bodies are currently at the St Anne’s Catholic Hospital mortuary in Damongo for preservation and autopsy.

Meanwhile, the youth in the area have rejected the Savannah Regional Police Command’s account of the incident and are scheduled to address the press today.