NPP descends on Ghana Police

…over Death of Ahmed Maikanka and Asabee
The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has strongly objected the Police decision to conduct an autopsy on Salifu Ahmed Maikanka who is alleged to have been brutally beaten by the police resulting in his death on Thursday night.

The deceased is believed to be among party supporters that besieged the premises of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) in Accra on Thursday afternoon to demand the release of Mr. Stephen Asamoah Boateng, former Information Minister in the erstwhile Kufuor administration.

The irate party supporters were reported to have blocked some roads leading to the BNI premises, and in an attempt by the police to control the irate mob fired tear gas and warning shots.

Consequently, the family of the victim has accused the Police of being the cause of Ahmed Maikanka's death.

The General Secretary of the party, Nana Ohene Ntow at a press conference to present the party's stand and concerns on developments surrounding the arrest of Mr. Asamoah Boateng said ”the party notes with anxiety and concern, the indecent haste with which the Police who are being accused of brutalizing Ahmed Maikanka to death, have rushed and collected the body of the victim for autopsy to be conducted by the police themselves.”

He wondered why the Police was so interested in getting the body of Ahmed Maikankah, without any invitation from the family, to conduct an autopsy.

Nana Ohene Ntow, therefore, insisted that a second and independent investigation be conducted into the autopsy, adding that ”the police action is likely to heighten tension and most likely to be greeted with suspicion.”

”The performance of such an examination for purposes of validating or contravening the police autopsy report must be conducted in the presence of medical witnesses of all interested parties, that is the police, the family of Maikanka and the NPP,” stressed the NPP General Secretary.

The party further demanded that Mr Asamoah Boateng be properly arraigned before a Court of competent jurisdiction without further delay if indeed the state had any case against him ”If the BNI have secured the necessary arrest warrant with which Asamoah Boateng has been arrested, then they (BNI) have no legal justification to hold him for maximum of 48 hours,” he disclosed.

The party also called on the BNI to tell where exactly Mr Asamoah Boateng is being kept.