There is police presence at the Abelemkpe branch of Marwako Fast Foods in Accra, following a confrontation between some Ghanaians and the Lebanese owners on Saturday evening. Reports indicated that three Ghanaian men attempted to physically assault one of the Lebanese men at the premises.
They were separated, but the Ghanaians came back with more men to beat up the Lebanese. One of the workers, who spoke to Citi News said, the larger, reinforced group tried to vandalize property but were quickly stopped when police got to the scene.
Though at the time Citi News got there, work had resumed and patrons were still buying food, there was heavy police presence at the branch. The Police said they were there to protect life and property. There had been some fears on social media the incident had escalated into a full-blown mob attack on the restaurant.
This incident followed the alleged assault of a female employee at the eatery by her Lebanese supervisor, although no direct connection has been established between the two incidents as yet. The Ghanaian female employee had her face shoved and held down in a bowl of pepper by her Lebanese supervisor on Sunday, February 26.
News of this assault sparked outrage from sections of the public, but the backlash was mostly limited to calls for a boycott of the fast food chain. Management of Marwako has since suspended the branch supervisor alleged to have physically assaulted the Ghanaian employee.
The supervisor in question, one Jihad Chaaban, was arrested and interrogated by police, but is currently on bail pending further investigations. Marwako at the centre of similar mob action in 2014 Marwako’s Mamobbi branch similarly faced the wrath of a vengeful mob on July 6, 2014. The restaurant gave shelter to a policeman, who was being sought by an angry mob for allegedly shooting and killing a taxi driver.
According to an eyewitness, the mob, consisting of about 30 people, attacked the policeman who was later rescued by some residents who took him to the restaurant for cover. But the angry mob besieged the restaurant demanding action against the policeman, and ended up vandalizing the facility’s assets.
