Reinforcement was sought when residents stormed the police station to demand release of the suspects
A 40-year-old man arrested by the Police at Asikuma in the Central Region over alleged possession of wee has died in custody, causing some residents to besiege the Asikuma Police station.
Kweku Botwe was among two others – Kwesi Ennin, 33 and Abotsu Omaru, 18 – arrested from a coconut plantation Wednesday evening with quantities of dried leaves suspected to be narcotic drugs.
Also retrieved from the scene where the suspects were arrested were a pair of scissors, two boxes of matches and 64 cedis. The police say the area, which is on the Mbra Street of Asikuma, is a hideout for wee smokers and other criminals.
According to the police, Botwe who is also known as Kwabena Beka, “complained of dizziness whiles in detention at Asikuma station” in the night and was consequently rushed to the Asikuma Hospital where he later died while receiving treatment.
His death, the police say, triggered agitation among some residents who on Thursday morning stormed the Asikuma Police station to demand the release of the other two suspects currently in custody.
“They pelted stones and broke a glass window at Asikuma Police station. They were however dispersed,” a police report sighted by 3news.com stated.
Reinforcement was sought from Mankessim, Ajumako, and the Regional Headquarters to bring the situation under control.
“The area is now calmed,” the police report said.
Meanwhile the police say the body of the deceased has been deposited at the Asikuma hospital morgue awaiting post-mortem.
We’ll investigate
Commenting on the matter, Central Regional Police PRO, DSP Irene Oppong said the matter will be investigated to establish what caused the death of the suspect, hence urged the resident against any violent act.
“The regional police command wants to assure the general public that all investigations will be done to determine the cause of death which will be conducted by an expert at the hospital.
“They should not take the law into their own hands, they should make sure that they don’t destroy any property at any place including the Police station… wait for us to get the cause of death when post-mortem is performed on the body,” she appealed.
She has meanwhile expressed the Police Command’s condolences to the family of the deceased.
