Police appeal to Suhum residents to remain calm

Koforidua, Aug 7, GNA - The Eastern Regional Commander of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police Felix Asare-Darko, on Tuesday appealed to the people of Suhum to remain calm while investigations were conducted into the alleged beating of George Atua, a 33-year-old driver, to death by a military/police patrol team.

Mr Asare-Darko assured the family and the public that the police would not shield any one found culpable.

He told a press conference jointly organized by the bereaved family and the police in Koforidua that an investigating team had been formed headed by the regional crime officer to probe the incident. Last Friday Atua was allegedly beaten to death by a joint police/military patrol team at Suhum for reckless driving. Eyewitness accounts had it that the team beat the deceased with the butt of their guns until he became weak. Atua was taken to the police station to be charged but the officer on duty refused to take any statement from him due to his poor condition.

He was sent to the Suhum Government Hospital but was pronounced dead soon on arrival and this provoked demonstrations by drivers in the town.

The Regional Commander said information reaching the police administration indicated that when the deceased was signalled by the team to stop he refused, sped off and nearly hit a police vehicle. He said the deceased was chased and arrested and sent to the police station where he complained of stomach pains. He died later after he was sent to the hospital.

Mr Kingsford Pobee, a family spokesman, refuted the police report and appealed to the police to be bold to tell the truth surrounding the death of their relative for peace to prevail in the area. He advised drivers to be law abiding and not to use the incident to cause confusion and disorder in the town.