Story: Victor Kwawukume, Ho & Anloga

CRIPPLE DIES IN POLICE CUSTODY

A 32 year old cripple, Israel Kobla Amenume, who was arrested as a suspect in the clashes that occurred at Anloga last Thursday has died in Police Custody.

Cell team leader, Emmanuel Lambert Yao Dzokoto told the ‘Daily Graphic’ that suspect died in his arms as he was trying to resuscitate him.

However, Police sources have denied that the suspect died in custody but are saying that he collapsed and was rushed to hospital where he died.

According to Emmanuel Dzokoto, the deceased had been behaving abnormally in the morning and had refused to eat his ration of kenkey and pepper which had been served them.

He said in the evening, also refused to eat his supper but rather gave it out to another suspect to eat.

Not long after, he said, suspect started gasping for breath and blood started oozing from his nostrils.

The attention of the Police on duty, he said, was drawn who said he was going to bring a vehicle for him to be conveyed to the hospital.

By the time he returned with the vehicle, he added, Israel Kobla Amenume had died and his lifeless body was conveyed away to the hospital.

When the Volta Regional Police Commander, DCOP Bernard Dery he confirmed the death but added that the suspect had not died in Police custody but rather at the Volta Regional Hospital.

Mr. Dery told the ‘Daily Graphic’ that suspect had refused to eat his supper and consequently started behaving abnormally and hitting his head against the walls of the cell following which he collapsed and was rushed first to the Ho Municipal hospital where he was further referred to the Volta Regional Hospital due to the unavailability of a doctor.

He said, at the Volta Regional Hospital too, there was no doctor and the suspect consequently died.

According to Mr. Dery suspect was conveyed to the hospital in his personal saloon car which at the time of interviewing him, was being washed due to blood from the deceased’s nostrils that stained the upholstery.

A source at the Volta Regional Hospital who pleaded anonymity intimated to the ‘Daily Graphic’ that when suspect Israel Amenume was brought to the hospital, he was already dead.

Meanwhile Mr. Dery has called for an inquest to ascertain the actual cause of death of the suspect.

He said that he had spoken to the Medical Superintendent at the Volta Regional Hospital and had directed for an inquest to find out what had killed Israel Amenume adding that if any foul play is uncovered, anyone responsible would be dealt with.

Meanwhile the curfew that has been imposed on the Anlo area is still in force however, last night a group of young men in Keta staged road blocks and started burning tyres on the street to register their protests at their area being included in the curfew when the incident had occurred at Anloga.

But the police and military on the ground quickly moved in and brought the situation under control.