Even before the Minister of The Interior, Mr. Kwamena Bartels issued his press statement ordering the interdiction of some suspected police and military officers and setting up an independent fact-finding committee to uncover those behind the gruesome murder of a mini-bus driver at Suhum, the military/police have again subjected another civilian to a brutal and dehumanizing treatment. The victim, Mr. Kofi Baafi, a 38-year-old Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) station attendant (bookman) fell into a comma after the severe torture and abuse. According to The Heritage newspaper, the brutal incident, which took place at the Assin Fosu Lorry Station was narrated by an eyewitness, one Yaa Dansoa first on Happy FM in Accra and later confirmed in an interview with The Heritage. According to Yaa Dansoa, at about 9:30 am on August 8, a young man brought a chainsaw machine on a bicycle to the station and told the station attendant that he was going to Dompim, a nearby village and that he would want the next car to cart the machine for him at a fee. The owner was to meet the vehicle at the destination to take custody of the machine. According to Madam Dansoa, a policeman arrived at the scene later and enquired of the owner of the chainsaw. When the 'bookman' explained that the owner had already left for his village and was to meet the vehicle at the station to receive it, the peace officer was not convinced after a heated argument. Madam Dansoa continued that the police officer then called another officer to come to his aid. She said the attention of the GPRTU officers was drawn to the incident and they invited the police officers and the bookman. After a peaceful settlement at the GPRTU offices, they returned to find to their dismay that the chainsaw had vanished. The eyewitness said the police officers later called in a military/police forestry taskforce who arrived in a pick-up and took the station assistant away. The GPRTU officials who found the situation strange followed up to the Assin Fosu District Headquarters where they were told that nobody had been brought there. Upon a tip off they learnt Kofi Baafi had been taken to the District Forestry Office. The officials continued their search at the forestry office where to their amazement they discovered Mr. Baafi being made to go through military drills. "In fact, his whole face was covered in blood. The soldiers made him carry two big beams in his palm whilst jumping at the same time and they also used their boots to hit his head on several occasions", Yaa Dansoa said. According to Yaa Dansoa, upon the advice of the GPRTU officers the security officers agreed to take the victim to Dompin to enable him identify the real owner of the chainsaw. After several search in the town, the owner was found and arrested by the task force. At that time the victim could no longer walk and had to be rushed to the Assin Fosu Government Hospital to receive treatment and later made a report to the police. She said the victim was taken to the hospital again on Thursday but collapsed on Friday morning and when he was rushed to the hospital, he was referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. The Assin Fosu Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Lartey in an interview with The Heritage, confirmed the story and said the police officer suspected the 'bookman' of using the chainsaw to cut lumbers for sale but when he enquired from the 'bookman' he refused to answer. According to him, the GPRTU officers settled the matter but when they returned the chainsaw had vanished which made the police report Kofi Baafi to the Forestry Taskforce, adding that the victim later came back to the police station with some marks in his face and was given a medical form to go to the hospital. Source: The Heritage