Calm returns to KTI after nasty police/students clash

Calm has returned to the Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI) after a nasty clash between the students and the police on Tuesday that left dozens hurt.

All was quiet when the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited on Thursday morning and the school’s management was locked up in a crisis meeting.

Most of the students appeared to have left for home after the unfortunate incident and normal teaching and learning, from all indications would not be resuming anytime soon.

Nine out of the 15 students, hospitalized after they were teargassed, chased to the dormitories and allegedly brutalized by armed police officers, are still on admission.

KTI had won the inter-schools and colleges sports competition held at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium and as the jubilant students, returned to the school, they reportedly blocked some roads, causing huge discomfort to drivers and passengers.   

The police moved in to clear the blockade and that was when the trouble started.

The officers claimed they were pelted with stones and they responded by throwing tear gas canisters, fired rubber and live bullets at the students.

As they fled to the school, the law enforcement officers went after them in their rooms, savagely assaulted and arrested 48 of them.

Those arrested had all now been freed on police inquiry bail.

Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Education Minister, who was on hand to find out things for himself barely 24 hours after the clashes, gave the assurance that a Committee would be set up to get to the bottom of the matter.

Meanwhile, the police are declining to speak to journalists, claiming they had begun an internal inquiry into the conduct of the officers, to establish the veracity or otherwise of the use of live bullets.  

Source: GNA