Cause of Mills' death is private matter; No criminal issue involved- Fritz Baffoe

Information Minister Fritz Baffoe has warded-off calls for an investigation into the cause of death of late President John Mills describing it as a private matter only for the family.

He said the death of the ex-Ghana leader was not a criminal issue, insisting only the family has the right to ask for mortal remains of the dead ex-president to be examined.

He was answering a question during a press conference to announce funeral arrangements for the late President John Mills.

Fritz Baffoe was quick to add though that the funeral committee was only constituted to discuss funeral arrangement and not deal with investigations into the death of the late president.

Chairman of the Funeral Planning Committee Mr. Kofi Totobi Kwakye said none of the members of the committee has the professional competence to ascertain the cause of death of the late president.

He noted a coroner's report is needed only when a person dies outside the premises of a hospital.

In the case of the late President John Mills, he died at the 37 Military Hospital in the hands of competent doctors, Kwakye reminded, insisting the doctors are duty bound to explain the circumstances.

Ten days after his death it is still not clear the actual cause of death, even though international news reports, BBC, CNN and Aljazeera claimed the president died of throat cancer.

A deputy Information Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has been quick with a denial saying President John Mills did not die of cancer.

Lawyer Nana Asante Bediatuo is one of many critics insisting Ghanaians have a right to know the cause of death of their late president.

He told Joy News' Evans Mensah the many different and conflicting accounts of the death of the president makes it all the more necessary for a coroner's report.

He said the president John Mahama must, as a matter of urgency, order an investigation into the cause death of his predecessor.

Nana Bediatuo described as flawed comments by the Chairman of the Funeral Committee that coroner's reports are only necessary if a person dies at home and later brought to the hospital.

He stated emphatically that if a person dies within 24 hours after being brought to the hospital a coroner's report is needed.

On whether the death of late president John Mills was criminal or not, Nana Asante Bediatuo said it is only an investigation which will tell.

It doesn't lie in the mouth of the Information Minister to conclude the death was not criminal, he added.

He said even though it was evident that former US President John F Kennedy was shot and killed in the open, the US government found it necessary to conduct an investigation to find the remote and immediate cause of death.

He was unequivocal Ghanaians must know the cause of death of their president before he is buried on August 10.

A member of the Funeral Planning Committee Nana Ato Dadzie, said committee has no mandate to discuss or call for an investigation into the death of the late president.

He said it is a non-issue for the committee, insisting anybody interested in pursuing the matter can take it up at the appropriate platform.

For now though, the committee has a very “pressing matter to present our best foot forward” in the burial of the late president, he added.

“When that is done we can deal with the small matter.”