Dead Man's Family Demand Judicial Enquiry

Asamankese, The family of Mr Daniel Awuku Dotse, 23, a trader who died on May two, after he had allegedly been beaten up in police cell at Asamankese, is demanding a judicial inquiry into his death. A family spokesman told the GNA at Asamankese that no attempt should be made to cover what really happened or to twist the facts to protect those responsible for his death. He dismissed a claim by police that Mr Dotse came to the Asamankese police station drunk and with a deep cut on his head. The spokesman described as a "cover-up" a statement from the police that Mr Dotse hit his head against iron bars in front of the cell to aggravate the wound on his head. He asked: if indeed Mr Dotse went to the police a wounded man, why was he not given a hospital form for treatment before his statement was taken?. The spokesman said the family was relieved by an earlier police statement which gave assurance that a thorough investigation would be conducted into the matter and all those found to have fallen foul of the law would be brought to book.

The family has become apprehensive beause of the new twist in the police account of what happened, he added saying it was tailored to throw dust into the eyes of the public. Meanwhile, General Sergeant B.B. Brobbey and Constable Ibrahim Adamu of the Asamankese police station have been remanded in custody by the Akim Swedru circuit tribunal when they appeared before it charged with the murder of Mr Dotse. Their pleas were not rpt not taken and they will reappear on May 13. Tension mounted in Asamankese following the death of Dotse with a group of youngmen threatening to attack the police station and its personnel. Police reinforcement was rushed in from Koforidua and Suhum to control the situation. According to an eye-witness account, during a visit to Asamankese on Sunday, May four by the regional police commander, Mr Okai Mensah, to assess the situation, a mob rained stones and other missiles on the police station and several warning shots had to be fired by the police to scare away the attackers. gdri.../