Keta youth angry over death of landlord in cells - Appeal to IGP for justice

The youth in Keta have called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, to interdict the officers involved in the death of Jerry Kpesenu, an indigene who died soon after he was arrested in his house and sent to the police station.

They said everything pointed to the fact that Mr Kpesenu died as a result of the brutality meted out to him during his arrest and when he was sent to the police station Addressing journalists last Monday at Keta, the Chairman of the Youth Desk, Benard W.K. Doe, said the interdiction would pave the way for a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to Mr Kpesenu’s death.

He further described the conduct of the officers as unprofessional, unethical, barbaric and inhumane, saying that their treatment of Mr Kpesenu led to his untimely death.

“Our law-abiding brother Maya, as he was affectionately called, was brutally assaulted in his residence by known unethical men in uniform from the Keta Police Division for allegedly refusing to comply with the illegal demand while he was eating coconut under a tree at his residence, possibly his last meal before he was 'murdered' in police custody at Keta,” he added.

He also said a professional invitation to the deceased to report himself at the police station would have been a better way of handling the situation. He, therefore, demanded the setting up of a five-member committee which should include an appointed member from the deceased's family and another from the Keta Youth.

They also requested an independent autopsy at a professional pathology centre in the country to determine the real cause of Mr Kpesenu’s death at the cost of the Police.

Background

Mr Kpesenu, an indigene died soon after he was arrested in his house and sent to the police station. While the family of the deceased and the youth accuse the police of beating him to death in their custody, the police insist the 45-year-old man fell ill in his cell and was rushed to the Keta Municipal Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

A spokesman of the deceased’s family told the Daily Graphic that the deceased earlier that day stopped a tenant from fixing an air conditioner in his rented room, insisting the tenant needed his permission to do so.

This was said to lead to bitter exchanges between them and the tenant subsequently reported the matter to the police. The family spokesman said the two policemen, one in uniform and the other in mufti, turned up in his house and started beating him before dragging him to the Keta Divisional Police Command and died while in their custody because of the torture meted out to him.