- Mavis Hawa Koomson breaks silence after using pepper spray at a polling station
- Incident occurred during Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun on July 11
- She claims she was attacked by NDC-linked individuals from Kasoa
Former Awutu Senya East MP, Mavis Hawa Koomson, has spoken out for the first time after using pepper spray during the violent scenes at the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun on Friday, July 11, stating she acted in self-defence in what she described as a life-threatening situation.
The incident occurred at St. Peter’s Methodist Church polling station, where chaos erupted as unidentified men reportedly overpowered police officers and attacked voters and officials—including Koomson herself.
Viral video footage showed the former minister deploying pepper spray as several men approached her.
In an interview with UTV on Tuesday, July 15, Koomson said she arrived with her security team but was forced by police to enter the polling station alone.
“I didn’t go there to cause trouble,” she stressed.
She alleged the attackers were individuals she recognized from Kasoa, linking them to the opposition NDC.
“One of them shouted, ‘Where is Hawa Koomson?’ and they just came at me,” she recalled, denying claims that the act was premeditated.
“I didn’t carry pepper spray with bad intentions.”
Calling the situation terrifying, Koomson claimed she acted instinctively out of fear, especially considering past incidents:
“During the voter registration exercise, my son was stabbed. I know I’m a target. When I saw the thugs advancing with knives, I had to defend myself.”
Amid ongoing political finger-pointing between the NPP and NDC, Koomson insisted her sole intention was self-protection in a hostile and dangerous environment.
