Kwame Afrifa Mensah, popularly known as Okatakyie, has been referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) for further treatment, Asaase News has gathered.

This was after he was earlier admitted to Mampong Government Hospital following violence that disrupted executive elections in the constituency on Sunday (12 July).

Police statement

The Ashanti North Regional Police Command said in a press release on Monday (13 July) that at about 7:45 a.m., Okatakyie, aged 43, led a group of about 30 men to the polling station.

When security personnel engaged the group to ascertain their purpose, they became aggressive, attacked the police and disrupted the electoral process by throwing electoral materials onto the ground.

The suspected ring leader and six others were arrested to assist with investigations, while the remaining members of the group escaped.

Efforts are underway to arrest the other suspects, police said.

Investigations

Preliminary investigations indicate that Okatakyie claimed some of his supporters had been side-lined in the electoral process and that he had obtained an interlocutory injunction to halt the elections.

However, neither the Electoral Commission nor the Police received any court order directing that the elections be suspended, the statement said.

Following the intervention of the police, calm was restored and voting resumed under adequate security.

The election ended peacefully at about 4:00 p.m., after which the Electoral Commission duly declared the results.

Later on Sunday, Okatakyie and another suspect, Osman Awuni, aged 44, complained of ill health and were taken to the Mampong Government Hospital where they were admitted for treatment.

The two remained under police guard.

Investigations are ongoing and the public will be updated on any further developments, the command added.