Five persons alleged to have killed cattle belonging to Fulani herdsmen in Agogo in the Ashanti Region, have been remanded in Police custody by the Asante Akyem North District Magistrate court.
According to the prosecutor, the five allegedly attacked a herdsman because he refused to show up in court as a witness in the recent incident of disturbances in the area.
[contextly_sidebar id=”OsTGOSXVHWkdGHUWzcsqifcByQV049YL”]The Member of Parliament for the Asante Akyem North Constituency, Kwadwo Baah Agyemang, expressed disappointment at the decision of the police to prosecute the people of Agogo.
MP angry at Police over arrest
“I am very shocked about this development because the people were not caught killing the cattle. The Police met them on the way holding guns and accosted them and accused them of going for a cattle shootout.”
He argued that the Police should have cautioned the five persons the first time they were spotted with guns instead of arresting and processing them for court.
“What do they want to achieve? Do they want to cause more mayhem in the area? I don’t get it,” the MP stated.
Police intimidating residents
The MP said, “It is a sign of intimidating the people from defending themselves. What I know is that, people go to the farm preparing to defend themselves when they are being attacked. And if the Police can’t protect them why do they harass and victimize them? It will be a security threat in the constituency.”
Meanwhile the case has been adjourned to March 1, 2016.
Background:
Residents of Agogo have accused the nomadic herdsmen of destroying their crops and also, raping and killing their relatives.
They have thus vowed to take on the herdsmen after a farmer was allegedly shot and killed by one of the Fulanis.
The residents have repeatedly accused government of failing to act on a court order three years ago that recommended the eviction of the Fulanis.
A special joint taskforce of military and Police personnel had earlier been dispatched to Agogo to evict the Fulani herdsmen from the area, but the government has given a new deadline of March to do so.
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana