Police in the Assin North District of the Central Region have rescued a suspected attacker from an angry mob after residents allegedly subjected him to severe beatings over an attempted assault on a cocoa farmer.
The incident occurred at Assin Yaw Attah on Thursday when the suspect, believed to be in his early 20s, allegedly trespassed onto a cocoa farm and attempted to attack a 19-year-old farmer, identified only as Baba, with a stick.
According to eyewitnesses, the teenager raised an alarm, prompting residents to rush to the scene. The suspect was overpowered, tied to a pole and assaulted by the crowd.
The assault was briefly halted after a local opinion leader intervened, creating an opportunity for personnel from the Assin Breku Police Station to arrive at the scene.
The officers rescued the suspect and transported him to the Assin Praso Presbyterian Hospital, where he is receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the assault.
Speaking on the incident, Assin North District Police Commander, Superintendent Eric Yao Avudzi, condemned the growing trend of mob justice in the district.
He said the latest incident follows previous cases of mob violence, including one in which a suspect was allegedly killed and the crowd attempted to set the body ablaze.
Superintendent Avudzi urged residents to desist from taking the law into their own hands and instead hand over suspected offenders to the police for investigation and prosecution.
“We are appealing to the public to allow the law to take its course. Suspected criminals should be handed over to the police rather than being subjected to mob justice,” he said.
Meanwhile, police say preliminary interactions with the suspect suggest he may be suffering from a mental health condition.
According to the police, the suspect gave inconsistent responses during questioning and displayed behaviour that raised concerns about his mental state. Some residents also told investigators they had recently seen him wandering around the community and exhibiting signs of mental instability.
Police have since launched investigations into both the alleged attempted assault and the mob attack.
Efforts are also underway to establish the suspect’s identity, trace his relatives and identify those involved in assaulting him.
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