Former Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, Mavis Hawa Koomson, has justified her use of pepper spray during the tumultuous parliamentary rerun in the Ablekuma North Constituency, stating it was purely an act of self-defence.
Hawa Koomson dismissed public claims that she arrived at the polling centre with intentions to incite violence, explaining that she felt directly targeted during the chaos.
“I was at the voting centre with my security, but the police insisted I enter alone, saying unauthorised persons were not allowed in. I did not go there to cause trouble,” she said in an interview on UTV on Tuesday, July 15.
She recounted how events quickly escalated after she spotted individuals she recognized from a previous incident.
“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,” she clarified.
According to her, this isn’t the first time she has felt under threat. Recalling a prior episode during the voter registration exercise, she said her family had already suffered harm.
“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,” Hawa Koomson emphasized.
