Cop Batters Man

John Tandor, a police officer who allegedly battered a businessman for not paying an amount of money he owed him, is being investigated by his superiors at the Obuasi Central Police station. The cop, with the rank of sergeant, is said to have taken the law into his own hands and battered 44-year-old Akwasi Asante with the nozzle of his gun at the victim�s shop in Obuasi last week Monday, injuring him on the forehead and sustaining a broken tooth in the process. A police source told Daily Guide that Sergeant Tandor had since admitted to going to the victim�s shop and confronting him, but denied the battery allegation, saying that the victim was injured as a result of a struggle that ensued between them after Akwasi Asante attempted to disarm him. However, Akwasi Asante maintains the law enforcement officer invaded his store at the Obuasi market and attacked him with his rifle after dangerously cocking it to blow his head off. �He ordered me to raise my hands after he cocked the rifle and later hit me badly with it on the forehead and mouth, forcing one of my teeth to fall instantly. A certain woman, Penaman, who was present, raised an alarm which attracted attention before I managed to escape,� he narrated. According to the victim, the police sergeant told him he was ready to kill him and face the consequences because he (Asante) failed to pay back his GH�400. The second-hand fridge dealer explained that somewhere last year, the police officer bought a deep freezer from him at the cost of GH�400, which he paid in two installments. According to Akwasi Asante, the cop later informed him the freezer had developed a fault and upon inspection, he realized that Sergeant Tandor had used a sharp object in removing iced blocks, which eventually caused the mechanical failure, divulging that he decided to replace the fridge for the sergeant. He stated further that Sergeant Tandor rejected the replacement and demanded a refund of his money, which he made a part payment of GH�200 and requested ample time to pay the balance. The victim disclosed that the cop, in October last year, came to his store to threaten him with death and refused to take the rest of the payment when it was made available to him because, �he had gone to his hometown to curse me.� �He therefore carried out his threat on me last week Monday around 3:30pm when he invaded my store, cocked his rifle and threatened to blow off my head before hitting me with it on the forehead and mouth without any provocation,� he concluded. Meanwhile, Sergeant Tandor has told his superior officers that Asante attempted to disarm him when he went to his store to demand his money, which resulted in a struggle and the injury he sustained. A police source quoted him as saying that he also suffered general body pains as a result of the struggle and that superior officers were yet to make any conclusion on the case because �it is the victim�s word against the junior police officer without corroboration from a third party.�