Asante Kotoko management member and policy analyst of the club Yaw Amoh Sarpong pulled a pistol and fired warning shots at angry fans of Berekum Chelsea in a clash between the Chelsea fans and some Asante Kotoko management members in the heat of the moment, and a police legal expert has explained why the KNUST lecturer might be justified for engaging in such act.
The Asante Kotoko policy analyst clashed with stewards in charge of the gate at the park after he was prevented from entering the park without a complementary card.
Sarpong who felt provoked and threatened by the home fans, allegedly went into his car to pull a pistol and fired about five warning shots into the air, leaving some fans injured by the stray bullets.
His reaction triggered the home fans to manhandle him.
Finding experts view as to whether Sarpong was justified in pulling the pistol in what seemed to be for the purposes of self defence, DSP Yusif Tanko explained in an interview with FOX Sports on the circumstances under which the act may be considered justifiable.
“I don’t want to be very specific on his (Amoh Sarpong’s) own, but I’m giving a general circumstance and the reaction available if a person resorts to shootings”, Tanko told FOX FM.
“If at the time the person went for the gun the beatings were still ongoing, then he is justified, but if the beatings had ceased, he doesn’t have the right to go and pick a gun, he must go to the police station to make a report”, he clarified.
From a layperson’s point of view, one may seem justified to pull a gun in the name of self defence after suffering brutal beatings from attackers considering injuries the victim might have suffered. However, DSP Yusif Tanko insists a person has no right to pull a gun regardless of degree of injuries sustained from assailants.
“It doesn’t matter the extend of his injury, if only they (the assailants) have finished and have left him it doesn’t matter how serious his injuries are, he has to go to police station to report, it is not allowed for him to go pull a gun to shoot them”, DSP Tanko stated.
While investigations into the hooliganism incidents that happened in Berekum are underway, the NC have in a statement issued on Monday evening, banned Asante Kotoko’s Yaw Amoh Sarpong temporarily from all football activities. They have also banned Berekum Chelsea temporarily from playing the Golden City park.
