Suspect dies in police cell; family demands investigations

A 32-year-old commercial driver, Isaac Asuah has died in Police detention at Dunkwa, in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality of the Central Region.

The deceased was arrested after his fiancé lodged a complaint of assault against him with the police leading to his arrest on Saturday night.

According to Agya Kwesi Opoku, uncle to the deceased, he returned home to find another man in bed with his fiancé which sparked a fight between them.

After that, he was reported to have left the room and returned in the night only to be arrested by armed police who indicated that a complaint of assault had been lodged against him by the fiancé only identified as Cecilia.

“I was at home when my brother called to tell me my nephew had been arrested by the police but by the time we got there, we were told he is dead and the body has been deposited at the mortuary. I suspect he was brutalized by the police who came to arrest him. We want this matter thoroughly investigated”, he alleged.

Dunkwa Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent Dela Dzansi however denied claims the suspect died in custody as a result of the beatings he was subjected to.

He disclosed that he was in detention and at about 1am on Saturday, his cell mates drew the attention of the counter NCO that he was restless and therefore needed some attention.

“We immediately arranged and rushed him to the Dunkwa Government Hospital but he died on admission. It is not true he was beaten. When they arrested him he was not in handcuffs because he cooperated with the police……I will not be able to tell the exact cause of death until postmortem is conducted. He was not showing any signs of sickness when we arrested him”, he revealed.