‘We did not engage in any acts of violence’ – Commonwealth Hall

Commonwealth Hall, one of the resident halls on the University of Ghana campus, has denied being part of the violence that took place on Friday, August 5.

In a statement co-signed by JCR President and Secretary, Paul Anim Inkoom and Daniel Kofi Boakye, the student leadership stated that:

“The attention of the leadership of Commonwealth Hall Junior Common Room (JCR) has been drawn to some media reportage and a press release emanating from the University Management dated 6th August 2022, echoing a clash between students of Commonwealth Hall and Mensah Sarbah Hall.”

“Commonwealth Hall has not engaged in any such acts of violence”, adding that “we hereby condemn any attempt by any office or media house to put the Hall’s name into disrepute.”

The leadership of Commonwealth noted that the Hall “prides itself as a citadel of excellence and does not condone any form of violence of which the said incidence is no exception.

“Commonwealth Hall JCR seeks to, by this communique, dissociate itself from the said acts of violence.”

Commonwealth Hall JCR further commended the security agencies for the swift intervention and further called “on the authorities to punish those found culpable of this lawless act.”

Background

An inter-hall fight ensued between the residents of the Commonwealth and John Mensah Sarbah Halls of the University of Ghana.

According to reports gathered, the residents of Sarbah Hall celebrated ‘Sarbahfest’ on Friday and as part of the festivities, the residents of the hall went on a procession, what is referred to in local parlance as ‘Jama’.

The report further stated that one of the students in the cause of the celebration strayed to the Commonwealth Hall, and was beaten up.

The beaten Viking [Sarbah Hall resident] is said to have returned to his hall of residence to report the incident. His colleagues then followed him to the Commonwealth Hall and a fight ensued.

In the process, a vehicle parked at the Mensah Sarbah Hall car park was set ablaze.

“Besides burning the car, they came to fight, destroyed a lot of things and took away one of the statues at the Sarbah Hall,” a source said.

Meanwhile, the Management of the University of Ghana has said that persons found culpable in the acts of violence on the University’s campus will be sanctioned appropriately.

According to the Management, efforts are underway to identify the perpetrators.