Former Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, Mavis Hawa Koomson, has defended her actions at the Ablekuma North voting centre, insisting that her use of pepper spray was a response to an imminent danger.
According to her, despite arriving with security personnel, she was instructed by police officers to enter the polling station alone.
“I was at the voting centre with my security, but the police insisted I enter alone, saying unauthorised persons were not allowed in so I obliged and left my security guys outside,” she said.
She described how the situation escalated when individuals she identified as opposition affiliates approached her.
“As soon as the thugs entered, I identified two NDC guys from Kasoa. One of them shouted, ‘Where is Hawa Koomson?’ and they just pounced on me.
So, the claims that I went there with ill intentions and carried pepper spray for that purpose are unfounded, I did not go there to cause trouble.”
In her view, previous incidents involving her family made her particularly cautious about political confrontations, pointing to a violent episode during a registration exercise.
“My son was stabbed during the voter registration exercise, so I know I’m a target for the NDC. When I saw the thugs walking toward me holding knives, I acted in self-defence.”
The former Fisheries Minister said this in her first public comments on UTV, following the incident that has generated controversy amid subject of national discussion.
