Police in Accra have begun investigations into a clash that occurred in the Teshie township and left one person severely injured.
Three houses close to the Teshie Shrine were also torched in the process.
The incident occurred on Thursday [August 5, 2021], after some townsfolk embarked on a fishing expedition to mark the harvesting of fish as part of Homowo festival.
The Deputy PRO for the Accra Regional Police Command, Chief Superintendent Kwame Danso, told Citi News police patrols will continue in the area to avert possible reprisals, as the nine persons who have been arrested are assisting in investigations.
“Police presence is still high in the area, and we will continue to be high alert. We will be mounting checkpoints all in an attempt to ensure the area remains very calm and as we continue with our investigations, anybody that we suspect to be part of the incident will be arrested.”
What led to the incident?
According to the Personal Secretary to the Teshie Chief Priest, John Adjetey Kommey, there is an outstanding dispute between two youth groups in the area.
In a Citi News interview, he said one of the two feuding factions started pelting stones and bottles at the other group, leading to the unfortunate scene.
“As part of the Homowo celebrations, there are rituals that precede the festival, and it is Nuumo Badu Odaano Odiapenser I who performs that rite. So yesterday [Thursday] before that rite a confusion ensued. It has to do with two youth groups engaged in a dispute in the town, embarking on a fishing expedition at the seashore.”
“So the first group arrived with their catch at a house just behind the shrine, and the other group was also proceeding to the Mantse Palace. So when they got here, some members of the first group started pelting them with stones and bottles.”
