The Police have officially confirmed the lodging of an assault case against individuals allegedly connected to the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu.
The case is currently under investigation after GHOne TV presenter, Lantam Papanko, filed a complaint at the Mile 7 Police Station on Sunday, October 22.
According to Lantam, the alleged assault occurred on the Ofankor-Amasaman road. He described the incident, stating that he was driving in the inner lane of the Ofankor-Tantra stretch when he noticed a motorcyclist riding at high speed behind him, attempting to overtake his vehicle.
Upon questioning the motorcyclist about his reckless riding, the rider reportedly became agitated and resorted to verbal abuse. Subsequently, the rider intentionally struck Lantam’s vehicle and damaged the side mirror. The case is now under official investigation by the police.
“I was driving from the Ofankor roundabout headed towards Tantra Roundabout, Mile 7. And I was driving in the inner lane. So while I was moving, I saw a motorcyclist coming from behind me. I noticed the motorcycle moving fast to right, to the driver’s side, behind me, trying to overtake me. I was wondering what the problem was. And he started signalling to me that I should move off the road.
He added, “So I also signalled to him what was the problem? Why he was signalling me to move off the road?
“Then he moved off from that side and then came to the other side, the passenger side on the right side. And he started insulting me. He asked me why I didn’t want to move off the road. I realised a black SUV bearing the number plate ‘Imam’ with flashing red and blue lights had been following me. Struggling to comprehend the unfolding scene, I witnessed the motorcyclist pulling up beside me and verbally assaulting me. The aggressive exchange didn’t end there. In a fit of rage, the motorcyclist struck my vehicle with his hands and then violently hit my side mirror, causing it to turn.”
Lantam further recounted that a vehicle, allegedly associated with the National Chief Imam, suddenly came to a halt in front of his car, forcing him to stop as well. He continued to explain that three individuals disembarked from the vehicle, and along with the motorcyclist, they assaulted him.
“He confronted me with accusations of disrespect and used his helmet to strike me through the car window. So the guy rode off and then I saw the Chief Imam’s car pass. I picked up my normal speed again. Then I realised that ahead of me, the Chief Imam’s car came to an abrupt stop right in front of me. I had to come to a screeching halt.”
“The rider pulled up beside me again. He got down from the vehicle, took off his helmet and started saying, don’t I respect? What is the meaning of what I was doing? And he used his helmet through the window to hit me in my face.”
And I saw about three people get down from the Chief Imam’s vehicle. They came and stood by my side where I was directly sitting, while in the car. And they started slapping and hitting me on my head and face and asking me, don’t I know that is the Chief Imam that is coming? Don’t I respect? The old man is sitting in the car. Instead of getting out of the way, I’m still sitting in the car and I don’t want to move. What is wrong with me? Why am I behaving like that?
“The guy used his helmet to hit me through the window like four times. And the other guys were slapping me and hitting me. I tried to protect myself with my hands. One of them eventually struck me in the forehead,” he added.
After the incident, Lantam sought medical attention at the Achimota Hospital, and following his treatment, he promptly filed a formal complaint at the Mile 7 Police Station.