A Sunyani District Court has again remanded three Policemen and three other suspects concerning the death and secret burial of a 48-year-old farmer at Seikwa in the Tain District of the Bono Region.
General Constable Ebenezer Akuffo, General Corporal Williams Akussung and Chief Inspector Eric Aforo, the Station Officer at the Seikwa Police Station were alleged to have maltreated the farmer, Abu Nepah, to death, and buried him secretly at a public cemetery at Seikwa.
The incident happened between April 16 and 17, this year, of which the Police Administration has since interdicted these accused officers.
They would re-appear before the Court on Tuesday, June 8, 2021.
At its sitting on Tuesday, the Court, presided by Mr. Jojo Amoah Hagan, also remanded Reuben Obeng, 22, Aaron Abbey, 21, security guards of the Nkoranman Rural Bank at Seikwa, and Emmanuel Kingsford Ofori, 59, the Bank’s Manager.
Prosecuting, Inspector Emmanuel Sampson, who held the brief of Superintendent Joseph Apaloo, told the Court that the Police were yet to conclude its investigations on the case.
It would be recalled on Friday, April 16 this year, around 1800 hours, the deceased was arrested by two security guards for causing damage to the rear windscreen of a Toyota Highlander Vehicle, with registration number AS 2000 X, belonging Mr. Ofori.
The prosecution said the deceased allegedly resisted arrest and in the process, the security guards and the Bank Manager subjected him to severe beatings and handed him over to the Police officers at the Seikwa Police Station.
Mr Apaloo said the two Police Officers allegedly manhandled, handcuffed and tied the deceased to a metal bar of the window behind the Police counter at the Charge Office.
He said the deceased reportedly started behaving violently, and in the process, the handcuffs were removed from his hand, but the noise attracted the station officer who lives near the barracks nearby.
The Prosecution said the Station Officer, therefore, ordered the Policemen to rather handcuff the deceased and tie him on a pillar at the Police station, where he remained till the next day.
He said on Saturday, April 17, the Policemen realised the deceased had defecated himself and soiled the Police station, so the Station Officer instructed the officers to release him (deceased) to clean the place.
The prosecution said on the same day at about 1210 hours, the deceased collapsed and was rushed to the Seikwa Health Centre for treatment, but was pronounced dead on arrival.
He said the officers took the body and buried it at the Seikwa Public cemetery on grounds that the deceased was a pauper and his relatives were not immediately known.
The prosecution said upon realisation that they had breached procedures, the Police Officers later exhumed and deposited the body at the Best Care mortuary at Mantukwa on the Berekum-Sunyani highway.
Meanwhile, an autopsy report conducted by Dr. Ernest K. Adjei, a Senior Pathologist at the Kumasi Komfo Ankokye Teaching Hospital indicates the deceased died from chest injury and blunt trauma to the chest.
