Italian Burger Poisoned

THE FAMILY of Joseph Atta Antwi, an Italian been-to, is crying foul over the sudden death of the ‘burger’, accusing the police of connivance.

His death occurred on Sunday.

Detective Constable Sarah Nkansah has been accused by the family of using the deceased’s phone while an inquest is yet to be conducted.

She has also been accused of sneaking around with the brother-in-law of the deceased to take inventory of the deceased’s belongings, leaving his elder brother George Boateng at the morgue because he refused to pay GH¢1000 she and two other officers with her demanded.

“When I challenged them, Sarah, who I could father, told me that I am not a serious man so she cannot move with me,” Boateng claimed.

He alleged that Cudjoe, brother-in-law and driver of the deceased, might have masterminded the death of his brother. Cudjoe, according to George, brought him home on Saturday night after driving him around to various places including the Nima branch of Ghana Commercial Bank where he withdrew an amount of GH¢8000. He alleged that the driver, since the death of the deceased, had not come to see the family even though his sister was married to the deceased. He disclosed that Cudjoe had fled his home with his wife and three children.

Akua Afriyie, mother of the deceased, lamented how she was denied the opportunity to see her son when he arrived in the country a month ago.

She told DAILY GUIDE that her son called her and asked her to attend the one week funeral celebration of his daughter’s mother-in-law in Kumasi on his behalf.

While she was still there, she had a call on Sunday, August 26, 2012 that his son had died.

Amidst tears, she disclosed that her son told her he was clearing some goods he brought and promised to visit when he was done.

The last time she spoke to the deceased was on Saturday, a night before his death, but he showed no signs of illness.

She was therefore surprised and broken-hearted over the death of Atta.

Madam Afriyie also alleged that Cudjoe’s Opel Costa taxi belonged to the deceased. She narrated that the mother-in-law of the deceased, Madam Harriet, told her that Joseph Antwi was sick but he asked them (the in-laws) not to inform her.

George alleged that the passport of the deceased, a wallet containing an unspecified amount of money and his bill of laden amongst other things were missing.

He was fully aware that his brother shipped a forty-footer container filled with assorted commercial goods docked at the Takoradi Habour in the Western Region.

Asked what his evidence was, he disclosed that he spotted detective Sarah on Tuesday, August 28, 2012, at the Legon Police Station where the death was reported, using his brother’s phone.

He said when she was confronted, she said Cudjoe gave her the phone and that she did not know it belonged to the deceased.

George therefore wondered what else the driver might have allegedly stolen from the deceased’s room.

He therefore called on the IGP to use his good offices to refer the case from the Legon Police Station to the CID Headquarters since he had lost confidence in the detective handling the case.

Meanwhile, a source close to the Legon Police station has countered the accusations, saying the detective is a young person assigned to only carry out an inquest and not the main investigator.

The source revealed that the deceased suffered malaria fever and was treated and discharged in a nearby private hospital at Madina, where he lived.

On Sunday dawn, he was heard screaming and was assisted by one Prince Boateng, a co-tenant, to the same private hospital but was told his condition was critical.

They were then referred to the Legon Hospital where he died while being referred to the 37 Military Hospital for further treatment.

George, instead of paying his brother’s bill, resorted to arguing with the police and hospital staff.

George, according to the source, insisted that the police take an inventory of his brother’s belongings in his room. Even though the police would have preferred depositing the body at the morgue before other things followed, they were forced to comply as he was very furious and almost creating a scene.

The source argued that if George felt the brother had some documents or belongings missing, he could lodge a separate complaint with the police while the inquest ran.

“Police have no suspicions of any foul play yet and so are unable to effect any arrest until they have enough evidence to do so,” the source stated.

Meanwhile, Sarah Nkansah on her part denied any wrongdoing.

She explained that she had to leave George and go to the deceased’s room with the brother-in-law in the company of two other officers because George was too aggressive.

Asked if she was aware Cudjoe had vacated his home, she said it might be because he was threatened severally by George.