“Last Time It Was Her Boys Who Killed Someone” – Malik Basintale Reacts to Hawa Koomson Assault

By Joylinda Laryea / July 11, 2025

CEO, Malik Basintale, has offered a controversial response to news of an alleged assault on former Fisheries Minister, Mavis Hawa Koomson, during the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun.

In an interview following reports of the incident, Basintale downplayed the public sympathy being directed toward Hawa Koomson, referencing her past alleged involvement in electoral violence.

"The last time I saw Hawa Koomson and assault, it was Hawa Koomson’s boys who killed one young man from Nima in her constituency,” he claimed.

His remarks come after chaos broke out at the Odorkor Methodist Church polling station during the rerun on Friday, July 11, where Hawa Koomson and NPP parliamentary candidate Nana Akua Afriyie were reportedly attacked by unidentified thugs. The incident temporarily disrupted voting and has sparked widespread condemnation.

While Basintale did not explicitly endorse the attack, his response suggested that Koomson’s past actions may have contributed to the hostility she encountered. He stopped short of directly condemning the assault.

The Ablekuma North rerun, involving 19 polling stations, was organized by the Electoral Commission to resolve a disputed outcome from the December 2024 elections. Tensions between the NPP and NDC have remained high throughout the process, with both parties trading accusations over violent tactics.

Basintale’s remarks have drawn criticism from sections of the public who believe that violence, regardless of history or political affiliation, should be uniformly condemned.