The Ashanti regional Police Command has refuted allegations by the management of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology that police officers failed to protect school property during Monday’s violent protests.
Deputy Regional Police PRO Corporal Prince Dogbatse, said “we as professionals dealt with the situation as was expected of us and that is why we had what happened. And we cannot assume that the police looked on while the students embarked on this act of causing damage to property on the school premises.
“If the police were not there, we would have recorded a more serious situation,” he noted.
He said the issue of deploying a “warrior mentality” is an old approach to policing that is not encouraged in modern times.
When asked on the Morning Starr why the deployed officers seemed to protect lives more than property, he explained that it was a security arrangement, and they could not assume that every situation is equal.
“What happened yesterday required the approach we deployed and that was why we had this situation. It is one that is unusual, however we tried our best in the circumstances to bring the situation under control,” he said.
20 students of the university have since been arrested by the police over Monday’s riots.
The university students went on rampage Monday morning, destroying school property in a violent protest.
The students who boycotted classes and poured on the streets of the campus were protesting alleged brutalities meted out to their colleagues who were arrested at the University Hall last Friday and later granted bail.
The angry students burnt the official vehicle of the Dean of Students and reportedly ransacked the Vice Chancellor’s office. At least one student was injured and is currently receiving treatment at the Hospital.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Senanu Damilola Wemakor
