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West Hills Mall incident: Deceased died after swallowing narcotics to prevent arrest - Police

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Wed, 8 Feb 2023 Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The late Shadrack Arloo who died during an arrest by some Officers of the Ghana Police Service at the West Hills Mall, died after swallowing a package that had narcotic substance, as he tried to resist arrest.

A police statement dated February 7, 2023, said that the late brother of Gospel musician Perpetual Didier resisted arrest by a police officer on duty who was being assisted by private security guards at scene.

The statement furthered that the deceased after swallowing the package became unconscious and was taken to the Sonotech Clinic for medical attention but was pronounced dead on arrival.

“Police Statements taken from witnesses at the scene of the incident, including some private security guards at the mall, and the arresting Police officer revealed that the deceased had resisted arrest by the Police Officer who was being assisted by the private security guards.

“The narrative of the events, as gathered by the police, indicated that during the course of the arrest, the deceased pulled out a substance from his bag, which he quickly swallowed before anyone could stop him. He became unconscious shortly afterwards and was taken to the Sonotech clinic for medical attention but was pronounced dead on arrival,” part of the statement read.

It added that per a post-mortem examination conducted on the deceased, it was confirmed that the cause of death was Asphyxiation and Obstruction of the airway by a foreign body.

“On 7th February 2023, a post-mortem examination was conducted on the deceased's body in the presence of Alfred Boafo, father of the accused, Dr Rosana Polinicio Segborwortso Pathologist of GA East Municipal hospital representing the accused, Mr Francis Xavier Sosu lawyer for the deceased, Louis Melabah Edeafor, uncle of the deceased, Isaac Anim Anno, father of the deceased and Anna Cobbina sister of the deceased.

“The pathologist gave the verbal cause of death as Asphyxiation and Obstruction of the airway by a foreign body. He also retrieved from the throat of the deceased, eight (8) zipped bags containing dry leaves suspected to be narcotic drugs tied in a piece of black polythene.

"The retrieved, suspected narcotic substances tested positive for cannabis when submitted for forensic examination, in the presence of all the interested parties,” he said.

Background

Gospel musician, Perpetual Didier alleged in a viral video that her brother was killed by some police officers.

According to her, the incident happened at the West Hills Mall in Accra on January 30, 2022.

The musician explained that her brother, was brutally assaulted by the uniformed policemen, leading to his untimely death.

“Someone should tag the IGP. I need justice for my brother. Tell him that this is a crime one of his men has done to my family by killing my brother. We are all Ghanaians with equal rights and freedom. Why will you use your position to take someone’s life?” she said in her Facebook Live video, amidst tears.

How the incident came about:

In her narration, her brother (the deceased) had gone to the West Hills Mall to withdraw money in order to purchase some items intended to be sent to his sister in Germany.

She added that, from what an eyewitness told her, the police demanded that her brother hand over his bag to be searched, but he refused.

This then led to the police officer getting agitated and then hitting and pushing him to the ground.

Perpetual added that her brother fell to the ground and hit his head on the floor, breaking his neck in the process.

He is said to have lost consciousness, at which time the police officer tased the motionless man on the floor.

It is believed that this worsened the state the young man was already in, leading to his death.

Read the full statement below;