A 28-year-old shop owner, Wisdom Darkey, has been run over by a vehicle belonging to a revenue mobilisation taskforce of the Ho West District Assembly in the Volta Region.

The deceased, is said to have refused to pay a district levy of GHS25, which led to a struggle between him and the angry four-man taskforce who locked his shop in the early hours of Wednesday, 22 January 2020.

An eyewitness, Mr Prosper Korsi Ahiaku, who happens to be an uncle of the deceased, said the struggle between the two parties started when the officials insisted on collecting the GHS25 upfront instead of accepting the trader’s offer to pay GHS20 and later add the GHS5 balance.

The trader, in trying to get the adamant taskforce officials to release his shop keys, jumped onto the bonnet of their car and insisted he would not get down until they had given his key back to him.

The driver of the taskforce, according to Class News’ Volta regional correspondent, then started the car and moved it – a situation which forced the trader to fall down in front of the car.

The taskforce then run over his head with the car killing him instantly.

The driver of the Toyota Hilux pickup, allegedly threatened to kill the trader during the melee before running him over.

Subsequently, some angry youth in the area stormed the Assembly’s premises and vandalised the property. They also torched one of the Assembly’s cars and some motorbikes and chased out the District Chief Executive.

They ransacked the place and took away computers and other valuable materials.

The Ho West District Police Command moved to the scene to restore order.

Family members of the deceased were seen wailing and cursing the offenders when Class91.3FM visited the scene.

The body of the deceased has been deposited at the regional hospital morgue.

The police have, however, been tight-lipped about the matter.