Another death at the hands of police

Barely a week after the Ashanti Region police were accused of beating a suspect to death whilst in police custody, another person has died, also allegedly at the hands of the police.

Kwasi Frimpong Selasi Jnr, a musician, was reportedly arrested and assaulted on the night of April 30, 2007 by a Constable Steven Okruah and two civilians at Agona Nyarkrom in the Central Region on suspicion of drug dealing.

The Police Service, represented by Chief Inspector Tei Okorsor, Public Relations Officer of the Central Regional Police Command, has confirmed the death of the musician, and the involvement of their personnel in the matter.

According to Chief Inspector Okorsor, Constable Okruah and the two civilians subjected the victim, who was suspected of carrying Indian hemp to severe beatings, leading to his collapse; he was pronounced dead on arrival at the Agona Nsaba hospital, where he was rushed for treatment.

One of the suspects, Lawrence Kelvin Kauda had been arrested, while Constable Okruah has been interdicted whiles police investigations continue, he disclosed.

The death of the 32 year old musician, who was the younger brother of Kwesi Sellasi, a popular reggae star based in Canada, was said to have led to angry altercations between the youth of the town and the police; an attempt to vandalise structures belonging to the police failed, however.

In an interview with Accra-based Citi FM, Kwasi Selasi, the brother of the deceased said he was not aware that his brother was a wee smoker or a peddler of narcotic drugs.

He stressed though, that even if his brother was a smoker or a dealer, the laws of the land do not permit the police to brutalise his brother to death, but to apprehend him and make him face the full rigours of the law.

"I want justice for my brother who I know to be calm and affable. I called the district police commander of Agona, Nana, about the incident. He was very furious and promised to do everything in his power to ensure that the perpetrators of this nefarious act are prosecuted."

Chief Inspector Tei Okosor indicated that the suspects would be charged with murder after the police had finished with their investigations.

This latest report of police brutality, coming about a week after a similar incident in Kumasi which led to the death of a suspect, Nana Kwame Sarpong, 35 in police custody, has raised concerns about the treatment of suspects in police cells.

The Statesman in its April 24, 2007, reported that Collins Okyere, also known as Nana Kwame Sarpong, 35, died on Saturday 21st April 2007 after he was allegedly repeatedly tortured by officers of the Striking Force Unit in Kumasi.

The deceased, a trotro driver from Anomanye, Suame Kumasi, was arrested on suspicion of robbery when the police apprehended a stolen taxi he was riding in as passenger.