Family petitions Ghana's IGP over phone repairer's death

The family of the late Kofi Poku, also known as 'Asco Pee', the 35-year old phone repairer who died on Sunday, July 07, 2019, after he was allegedly manhandled By the Old Tafo police, is calling for justice.

"We are appealing to the Inspector General of Police ( IGP) to use his good offices to intervene in the issue since the family is suspicious of police complicity in the unfortunate death," Nana Akua, the grief-stricken mother of the deceased, told newsmen.

According to the mother of the deceased, they had information that the late Poku was allegedly subjected to severe beatings by the police soon after his arrest for reckless driving, which subsequently, led to his death at the Tafo Government Hospital.

When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the Old Tafo Mile Three family residence of the deceased on Monday, the tension was brewing as the youth, family and relatives of the deceased, clad in red and black, had sworn not to rest until the right thing was done.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Godwin Ahianyo, in-charge of the Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Unit, confirming the incident, said the Command had commenced preliminary investigations into the issue.

"Our information indicates that the deceased who was in charge of a Toyota Saloon car, on reaching Krofrom, a suburb of Kumasi, ignored police signals to stop as he was driving recklessly," he stated.

This, he noted, aroused the suspicion of the police and as a result, a patrol team pursued the speeding driver and caught up with him at a spot close to the Tafo Government Hospital Junction.

ASP Ahianyo added that sensing danger, the deceased driver was said to have jumped out of his car in an attempt to run away, and allegedly fell down heavily, becoming weak in the process.

"When our men found out that he had almost fallen unconscious, they then rushed him to the hospital," he noted.

Meanwhile, five people who were said to be part of some demonstrators who took to the streets and proceeded to the Hospital to pour out their anger, following the incident had been arrested by the police.

The culprits, who at the time of filing this report were still in police custody, are assisting with investigations.