The Ghana Police Service’s anti-smuggling unit has shot and killed nine people who were allegedly involved in smuggling activities at Akwasa Hills near Tuba in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.
Another person who was wounded during the operation is undergoing treatment at a hospital, while two more are being held by the police.
Sources told Citi News that the alleged smugglers had been disturbing workers of a real estate company at Akwasa Hills for a while.
The alleged smugglers would often intimidate the workers and sometimes hurt them.
On Thursday, June 8, 2023, the alleged smugglers reportedly attacked the workers again, firing shots in the area. The police anti-smuggling unit, which had reportedly set a trap, tried to capture the suspects, but the suspects fired back, resulting in a shootout.
A local source, who asked not to be named, said the development was good news, as the smugglers had been causing trouble in the community for years.
“The incident happened on a land at Bortianor Hills owned by a developer. The developer had been working on the land for over a month, and the smugglers had been coming to bother the workers regularly. The developer reported the harassment to the police, and the police came to the scene to investigate. While the police were setting a trap, the smugglers attacked the workers, and the police shot back, killing nine of the smugglers. Three of the smugglers were injured and taken to the hospital.
“The activities of smugglers are quite disturbing. They often demand money from developers, and some developers have paid as much as GH¢50,000 or even GH¢100,000 to the smugglers,” the source said.
However, Serwaa Agyapong, a resident whose brother was shot, has denied claims that all of the people involved were smugglers.
She said her brother, who lived near her home, was a steel bender by profession and had never worked as a smuggler.
She was angry with how the police team quickly removed the bodies of the dead men and covered up the blood stains with sand and leaves.
Madam Serwaa also accused the police of washing away the blood stains with water, and she is calling for a thorough investigation into the incident.
“My brother is not a robber, as people think. He is a steel bender. After killing him, the police took his personal things, including a TV set,” Serwaa Agyapong, the sister of one of the dead men, said.
