Ghana Police Apologize for Soccer Stampede Deaths

Ghana Police Apologize for Soccer Stampede Deaths


By Kwaku Sakyi-Addo

ACCRA (Reuters) - Ghana's police, who were blamed for sparking a soccer stadium stampede in which 126 people died, have apologized for their role in the disaster and troops stood guard on Saturday to protect police stations.

Angry mobs have attacked police stations in Ghana's capital since Africa's worst soccer tragedy on Wednesday, in which police fired tear gas into the packed stadium, starting the stampede.

``On behalf of the police service, I sincerely apologize to the bereaved families and to the people of Ghana for what happened at the stadium,'' Ghana's inspector-general of police, Ernest Owusu-Poku, told state television late on Friday.

He has set up an internal investigation into the behavior of the 70-officer contingent responsible for security at the match at the national stadium in Accra between local team Hearts of Oak and arch-rivals Asante Kotoko.

President John Kufuor has also established a commission of inquiry into the stampede, which began when police fired tear gas canisters into the stands after some fans broke up seats and threw them onto the pitch.

The police have been widely accused of over-reacting to the crowd trouble. On Friday, hundreds of youths attacked a police station in Nima, a poor, densely populated suburb of Accra.

The youths had earlier attended a burial ceremony for 33 of the victims who lived in Nima.

Ghana's National Security Council met on Friday to discuss the crisis and the government sent soldiers and police in armored personnel carriers into the area to restore order.

WARNING SHOTS

Soldiers fired warning shots and tear gas to disperse the youths and a helicopter gunship flew over the area for several hours during the evening, witnesses said.

Military police have taken over regular police duties in most areas of Accra amid mounting public anger and anti-police demonstrations since the tragedy.

The protest took on a political tone in Nima on Friday, with youths chanting for the return of former President Jerry ``JJ'' Rawlings, who stood down in December after nearly two decades in office.

``We want JJ,'' witnesses quoted the youths as demanding. ``We don't want police.'' Some carried pictures of Rawlings.

In December's presidential election Kufuor beat the chosen successor of the charismatic Rawlings, who seized power in 1981 in the second of his two military coups.

One government official said he suspected the protests may have been instigated by Kufuor's opponents. Tensions between members of the new and old administrations have risen since some former ministers were charged with financial mismanagement.

Kufuor called for calm on Friday.

``I am appealing to religious leaders to pray for Ghana in this difficult time and to save us from further turmoil,'' he said at a memorial service for the dead.