Woman dies from Police beating

The arrest and assault by the Hohoe Police of some residents of Gbi-Atabu in the Hohoe municipality, has resulted in the death of a victim.

Madam Philippi Afi Adzaklo, a 53-year-old trader, died out of injuries she sustained after some policemen stationed at the Hohoe Police Station, allegedly assaulted and detained her and other members of her family when they questioned why the police should take money from a relative of theirs before granting him bail.

The police were infuriated and assaulted the questioner, Charles Adzaklo, together with Madam Philippi Adzaklo, Emmanuel Malekpor and Akuvi, and detained them.

Charles and Emmanuel were placed in police cells, while Madam Adzaklo and Akuvi were placed behind the counter until the following day.

Even though Madam Adzaklo complained of ill-health, the police allegedly refused to allow her to seek medical treatment.

Briefing The Ghanaian Times, a family spokesperson said on May 30, 2011, a misunderstanding ensued between two family members, Prosper De Souza and Cynthia Adzaklo. Prosper threatened to teach her a lesson, but she took it for granted.

A family member, Madam Benedicta Akabuatse, tried to resolve the misunderstanding, but that sparked another altercation during which she was assaulted by Prosper.

A complaint was lodged at the Hohoe Police Station and he was arrested and placed in custody to assist in investigations.

While in custody, some family members pleaded with the police for bail to resolve the issue at home, but this was turned down.

However, upon persistent pleading, Prosper was granted police enquiry bail after they had doled out GH¢500.

Just as Prosper and the family members were about to leave the police station, Charles arrived and demanded to know why he was arrested and why the police had to collect money before granting him bail.

Two policemen at the station, identified as Nusenu and Oteng, invited Charles for interrogation, but he refused and left with the other members of the family.

The police men allegedly became infuriated and stormed the area and brutally assaulted them, resulting in some family members and residents sustaining injuries. Some of them, including Madam Adzaklo, were arrested and detained at the police station whilst nursing their injuries.

While in police cells, Madam Adzaklo's health was said to have deteriorated, but the police allegedly refused to allow her to attend hospital and decided to teach her a lesson instead.

She later collapsed and was rushed to the Hohoe Government Hospital where she later died.

When the Hohoe Municipal Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police Wilson Kludze, was contacted by the Ghanaian Times, he only said "the case is under investigation".

Commenting on the issue, Togbui Adzofuwusu IV, divisional chief of Gbi-Atabu, blamed the police for the woman's death because after the assault, they refused to take her to the hospital when she complained of bodily pains, until she collapsed.

Togbui Adzofuwusu urged the Regional Police Command to conduct thorough investigations into the matter, saying "the Hohoe Divisional Command is likely to be biased in their investigations.

"The arbitrarily arrest and senseless maltreatment of innocent people must be thoroughly investigated and the culprits made to face the full rigours of the law to serve as a deterrent to other policemen who take the law into their own hands," he stressed.