A careful review of the video and audio recordings on the incident that involved the embattled Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of the Sekondi-Takoradi Municipal Assembly, Abdul Mumin Issah and a cop, indicates that the MCE is very abreast with Ghanaian street language.
This is because, aside threatening to “change your situation” and transfer the Police Officer to Enchi (213km from Sekondi-Takoradi), Mr. Issah retorted, “Apuu!!!” when the Police officer referred to himself as ‘a whole Police officer’ in reaction to a “stupid” remark by the MCE.
“You are insulting a whole Police officer as stupid, someone who has been mandated by the Constitution to protect you?” To this, Mr. Issah retorted, “you? A whole Police officer? ‘Apuu’!!!
‘Apuu’ in Ghanaian parlance, is an exclamation that denotes disapproval.
Also, at a point in the fracas, the Police officer told someone who introduced himself as an Assembly Member of the area, thus intervened and requested the former to allow the MCE to go, that he would not, “I’m going to charge him for dangerous and careless driving. Insulting a Police officer in uniform that he is stupid, if I was angry and insulted him back, what would have happened?”
Mr. Issah upon hearing this remark, quizzed, “you would have insulted me? I would have beaten you to death.”
It was at this point that the MCE was heard ordering someone to “go and take the gun.”
Earlier, the MCE pulled out his phone to snap the officer.
“You can snap me, I am a nice and handsome Police officer. You can take the pictures and video”, the cop said. In response, Mr. Issah stated, “you are ugly.”
Subsequent to this incident, the MCE was arrested.
He was consequently charged with assault on a public officer, offensive conduct and disturbing the peace of a public place, careless and inconsiderate driving and causing danger to road users.
When he appeared in court on Friday, Abdul Mumin Issah pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At the end of proceedings, he was granted a GH¢100,000 self-recognisance bail with three sureties. The case was adjourned to March 17, 2022.
Meanwhile, government has suspended him, pending the outcome of the suit.
In a press statement issued on Friday, the Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Mr. Dan Botwe stated that: “On the instructions of the President, the Metropolitan Chief Executive for Sekondi-Takoradi Assembly, Mr. Abdul Mumin Issah has been suspended from office with immediate effect pending an inquiry into his encounter with the Police on February 3, 2022.”
