The Member of Parliament for Asawase, Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, has appealed to the Police to release the over-40 individuals arrested in connection with the recent riots at Tafo in the Ashanti Region.
Scores were injured in the clashes while one person died as a result. The Ashanti Regional Police on Friday screened about 40 of the rioters, to process the culprits for court.
Alhaji Muntaka nade the the appeal while he was addressing the Muslim youth at the Tafo Central Mosque on Friday.
The Chief Imam, Sheik Usman Nuhu Sharubutu, and the National Peace Council are in the town to help quell tensions the area.
Speaking to Citi News later on, the MP explained that most of the people arrested were innocent residents who were rounded up in a Police swoop.
“They [the Police] admitted that because of what happened yesterday, it was a swoop so a lot of the people… didn’t even know about the whole thing. They were just passing by,” he explained.
He stated further, “Almost all of them didn’t know what was happening and that was attested to by the security themselves. They say that there was a swoop because of the riots.”
Alhaji Muntaka suggested that the release of these individuals would be a step towards achieving the peace in the area.
“To be able to build confidence so we will be able to have some understanding and peace… let’s get all of them released so that we will be able to build the peace that we are all expecting.”
Alhaji Muntaka also intimated that patience on the part of the youth could have prevented the eruption of violence that led to loss of life and property.
“It could have been avoided. If the youth had been patient for us to talk to the elders I don’t think we would have gotten to where we are. It is shared irresponsibility where somebody has hurt you and you think that you can just take the law into your hands and you create problem for everybody.”
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