Minority calls for enquiry into the death of ice block seller

Accra, May 24, GNA - The Minority in Parliament on Monday appealed to President John Atta Mills to set up a Commission of Enquiry to investigate the death of an ice block seller, Miss Celestina Tsekuma, that occurred at the 37 Military Hospital recently after she was sent there by the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI).

At a press briefing in Accra, Mrs Gifty Ohene Konadu, the Minority Spokesperson on Gender and Member of Parliament for Asante Akim South, said the BNI was an institution that had involved itself in activities outside its mandate.

Mrs Konadu was reacting to a Daily Guide story of May 17 2010 that said 29-year old Celestina was five months pregnant when she died. She said the BNI's role needed to be redefined to enable it play a more respectable and meaningful role for the benefit of the country. Mrs Konadu said Celestina was whisked away on Thursday, May 13, to the BNI offices at about 1000 hours.

She said a year ago a lady called Sala approached Celestina to release her voter ID card to her to enable her (Sala) collect money sent to her through Western Union money transfer service. She said Celestina, who was reluctant at first and wondered why Sala did not seek her permission before using her name for the transaction, gave in and accompanied Sala to a Mamobi Western Union outlet but they were informed that someone had already collected the money.

Sala came back with some men who identified themselves as coming from the Castle and asked Celestine to accompany them to the Mamobi Western Union outlet in their BMW saloon car.

She said Celestina and her husband went with them after which they drove to the Castle and later brought them back to Tema station. Later Celestine was invited to Mamobi police station but nothing happened and on May 13 officers from the BNI came to the house and took Celestina, accompanied by the husband, to their office. It was at the BNI office that Celestina started vomiting and was sent to the BNI clinic and eventually taken to the 37 Millitary Hospital where she died.

Mrs Konadu said Celestina died under mysterious circumstances, adding that the BNI had been fingered as playing a central role in the circumstances leading to the death of the pregnant woman. She said when the wife of the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Mr Inusah Fuseini, died at the Police Hospital the President set up a Committee of Enquiry.

Why has he not done the same or is it because of the lower social status or because she is not a known NDC activist? Mrs Konadu said the death of Celestina should bring Ghanaian women to their feet to fight against the monstrous activities of the BNI that has descended to the status of an errand boy in the hands of a woman called Sala.

Dr Mathew Prempeh, the Member for Manhyia, said the hospital needed to carry out an inquiry into the death, adding that Celestina's death occurred 24 hours after reaching the hospital and that called for enquiry to establish the cause of the death. Mrs Otiko Gyaba, New Patriotic Party Women's Organiser, said women were the most vulnerable and should be treated with respect.