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Former Awutu Senya East MP, Mavis Hawa Koomson, has justified her use of pepper spray during the violence that marred the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun, describing her actions as self-defence.
The incident occurred on Friday, July 11, at the St. Peter’s Methodist Church polling station, where chaos erupted after unidentified men reportedly attacked several individuals, including the former Minister for Fisheries.
“I was at the voting centre with my security, but the police insisted I enter
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alone, saying unauthorised persons were not allowed in. I did not go there to cause trouble,” she told UTV on Tuesday, July 15.
Viral footage from the polling station showed Koomson reaching into her bag and spraying a substance later confirmed to be pepper spray, moments before a group of men advanced toward her. She insisted her actions were a reaction to an imminent threat on her life and not a planned provocation.
“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.”
Koomson further alleged that the attackers were affiliated with the opposition National Democratic Congress and had deliberately targeted her, drawing on past threats to her family during electoral events.
“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,” she said.
The incident has reignited concerns over political violence and personal security at polling stations ahead of Ghana’s upcoming general elections.
