Ghana’s Deputy Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Hajia Hawawu Boya Gariba has denied allegations she fired gun shots in her neighbourhood to discourage noise-making in a church.
The incident which occurred in Tamale on Christmas Day is said to have caused a lot of panic among congregants of the Spring of Life Assembly Church.
Pastor of the church Yakubu Iddrisu, in an interview with Joy News claims she first fired tear gas at them before firing gunshots.
“On 25th December at around 10 in the morning when we were having praises, we noticed that there was a strange gas, a strange irritating smell which we suspect was pepper spray or tear gas”
”It came so strong that people started coughing, others were coughing and collapsing,” the pastor said.
He said three members went to investigate the source of the gas and it was found out that it came from the Deputy Ambassador’s house.
The delegation proceeded to the house, to question why they were being teargassed, it was there that Madam Boya stormed out of her house and fired warning shots in the air.
Pastor’s account
But Madam Boya Gariba denied the allegations. She said she rather was attacked.
Madam Boya Gariba said she has complained incessantly, to the pastor and pleaded with them to reduce the noise but nothing has changed.
She then informed the police who came to warn the congregation, yet they didn’t stop.
On that particular day, Madam Boya Gariba said “ I sent someone to go and tell them to minimize the noise, they beat up the boy and came back to my house”.
She said her carpenter who was working on her wall was pulled down by some of the church members.
Madam Boya’s Gariba account
“Some of them were throwing stones into the house and beat up my security man. I never went there and so whatever they are saying is not true,” she added.
Spokesperson for the Police in the Northern Region, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, says they are investigating the incident.
“We have officially invited the two parties and we will meet tomorrow to address the issue, but we have asked the Spring of Life Assembly Church to minimise the noise.”
