C'ttee holds security men responsible for driver's death

Accra, Sept. 3, GNA - A seven-member fact-finding committee established to investigate the circumstances leading to the death of a commercial driver, George Kojo Atuah, on Monday recommended that four security personnel involved should be held responsible.

They are Staff Sergeant Robert Adamah, Corporal Ibrahim Bukari, D/CPL Dagadu Kwasi Felix, and General Corporal Two David Darko. The committee, chaired by Mr Edward Agyeman Duodu, said based on evidence available to it, the deceased died as a result of assault by the four security men.

The committee, inaugurated on August 15 by the Ministry of the Interior, also recommended that disciplinary action should be taken against the leader of the joint patrol team, Sergeant Samuel Egyin, "for failing to exercise proper control" over the operation of the team. It established that Egyin abdicated his responsibility as a leader and allowed individual members of the team to assault the deceased after they had pursued him over a distance of about 50 metres. Atuah, alias Maclean, died at the Suhum Government Hospital from alleged brutalities he suffered at the hands of some security personnel after he had refused to stop at a police cum military checkpoint on August 3.

A Pathologist's report indicated that the death was due to ruptured spleen, abdominal injuries, haemoperitoneum (massive internal bleeding). The officers were subsequently interdicted to facilitate thorough investigations into the matter.

Mr Duodu, who presented the committee's findings to the Minister of the Interior, Mr Kwamena Bartels, said his team did not find sufficient evidence against two others -- G/Sgt Samuel Obuobi and G/Constable Godfred Yamoah -- and therefore recommended that they should be absolved from any wrongdoing.

The committee also absolved L/CPL Edem Atagba and private Karikari Osei Frank, who had earlier dropped off the patrol vehicle and were therefore not part of the team, which pursued the deceased.

It also recommended that Government should pay adequate compensation to the bereaved family for the loss.

The committee consists of representatives from the Attorney General's Department, the Bureau of National Investigation, the Criminal Investigation Department, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ghana Armed Forces.

Mr Bartels commended members of the committee and said the report would be submitted to the Attorney General for the necessary actions to be taken.

He said although the police have a very crucial role to play, they should always bear in mind that they are the peacemakers and must respect the laws.