Jomoro MP rejects Police autopsy; insists Police negligence led to Shadrach Arloo’s death

Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Dorcas Afo Toffey who petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, over the death of Shadrach Aloo who is a native of Nzema at the West Hills Mall has rejected the Police autopsy report that he died from asphyxiation.

The lawmaker insists the negligence of the police caused the unfortunate death of the 31-year-old man.

According to the police, an autopsy conducted on the deceased in the presence of his family members confirmed he died from medical causes, as the pathologist retrieved from his throat, eight zipped bags containing dry leaves suspected to be narcotic drugs tied in a piece of black polythene bag.

The retrieved substances, according to the police, tested positive for cannabis when submitted for forensic examination in the presence of all the witnesses from the family of the deceased.

Ms Toffey, however, believes the Police was complicit in the death of Shadrach.

She told Class News “For me, where I stand, I’m looking at the statement released by the Police yesterday where point seven states that: ‘At the meeting, the parties were given the option to have the post-mortem examination conducted by a pathologist of their choice, but they all agreed that the Police Pathologist should conduct the examination’. First of all, that is not true, we were not given that option, it was the family that spoke to us that they will not be comfortable to allow the pathologist from the Police Department to do the full examination.

“As a member of parliament, a legislature, I’m insisting that the unprofessionalism of the Police, the negligence of the Police, led to the death of this man,” she added.

The lawmaker explained that, “Their [Police] first report states that they saw the young man taking something from his bag to swallow.

“So you already establish that he took something to swallow, so it means the person was very weak, harmless, unarmed and everything, why will you still continue to handcuff him, put him down and allow a third party to come in and tase him further?” she wondered.

“I’ve pictures of the body that shows marks on the body, blood from the nose, the ears, his clothes, where was that coming from? If the person just swallowed something, it was the responsibility of the Police officer present at that time to make sure medical attention was sought for him at the nearby Police hospital to make sure his life was safe then whatever punishment he has to be given will be given and that would have been a different story but in this instance, that was not the case or what was done…”

Meanwhile, the family of Shadrach has also rejected the autopsy results.

Speaking to Class News’ Nasaria Abdul Rahman in an interview, Perpetual Didier said the police conducted the autopsy against the wish of the family and are, therefore, demanding an independent autopsy.

Ms Didier explained: “The time they [police] gave us yesterday [Tuesday, 7 Feb] was too early so my doctor couldn’t come; the police gave us a different doctor, my doctor could come on Wednesday [8 Feb], but the police were insisting and I was not around, so, one of the family members called me and I told her that she should insist the family does not agree, so, they should wait for our doctor".

“They said he swallowed rubber with weed… but they could have opened his mouth and placed the rubber with weed in his throat when they brought him from West Hills Mall because they can do it; they can push it down his throat. If it was in his stomach, that means he swallowed it himself but if they are saying it is in his throat, that means somebody could have put it in there.”

Ms Didier said the family is rejecting the autopsy report from the police and going to demand a new autopsy.

She stated that they are demanding video evidence of how everything happened that led to her brother’s death.

“We want the West Hills Mall to provide us videos of all that happened: how my brother entered the mall, how the police contacted him, how the police tried to bully him, they should show us evidence of when he was swallowing that rubber…we believe somebody forced the thing down his throat because the corpse was not with the family, so, someone could sneak inside the morgue and put that thing in his throat,” she said.

“We are against the police but our brother’s body was with the police, how?” she quizzed.

In her view, “something fishy is going on and they [police] must provide us [with] video evidence of when he was swallowing. If someone can swallow a rubber with eight bags of weed, they will tell us. We want to see real evidence and not what the doctor is saying because the doctor is from the police.”

READ BELOW THE POLICE SIDE OF THE STORY
UPDATE ON POLICE INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEATH OF SHADRACH ARLOO AT THE WEST HILLS MALL

The Police, on 30th January 2023, started investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of one Shadrach Arloo at the West Hills Mall in Accra.

The Police issued a press statement on the same day, which notified the public that investigations into the matter had begun.

The Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) contacted Madam Perpetual Didier, sister of the deceased, who had alleged in a viral video, that her brother's death was caused by a Police Officer who had manhandled him at the West Hills Mall.

Initial investigations led to the arrest of Osei Kwame Boafo, a private security guard at the West Hills Mall who was alleged to have used a taser on the deceased during his arrest.

Police Statements taken from witnesses at the scene of the incident, including some private security guards at the mall, and the arresting Police officer revealed that the deceased had resisted arrest by the Police Officer who was being assisted by the private security guards. The narrative of the events, as gathered by the police, indicated that during the course of the arrest, the deceased pulled out a substance from his bag, which he quickly swallowed before anyone could stop him. He became unconscious shortly afterwards and was taken to the Sonotech clinic for medical attention but was pronounced dead on arrival.

As part of the investigation process, on 3rd February 2023, the Police Pathologist held a meeting with interested parties in the case to explain the post-mortem examination to them. Present from the deceased side were Madam Dorcas Toffey (Hon. MP, Jomoro), Mr Kofi Armah Buah (Hon. MP, Ellembele), Mr Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu (Hon. MP, Madina) Mr Amo Blay and Madam Ama Cobbina. Mr Alfred Osei Boafo was also present for the accused person, Osei Kwame Boafo.

At the meeting, the parties were given the option to have the post-mortem examination conducted by a pathologist of their choice, but they all agreed that the Police Pathologist should conduct the examination.

On 7th February 2023, a post-mortem examination was conducted on the deceased's body in the presence of Alfred Boafo, father of the accused, Dr Rosana Polinicio Segborwortso Pathologist of GA East Municipal hospital representing the accused, Mr Francis-Xavier Sosu lawyer for the deceased, Louis Melabah Edeafor, uncle of the deceased, Isaac Anim Anno, father of the deceased and Anna Cobbina sister of the deceased.

The pathologist gave the verbal cause of death as asphyxiation and obstruction of the airway by a foreign body. He also retrieved from the throat of the deceased, eight (8) zipped bags containing dry leaves suspected to be narcotic drugs tied in a piece of black polythene. The retrieved, suspected narcotic substances tested positive for cannabis when submitted for forensic examination, in the presence of all the interested parties.

In view of the outcome of the post-mortem examination, the case docket is being forwarded to the attorney general's office for study and advice to determine further Police action.

We would like to put on record that from the very beginning of this incident, the Police have involved all interested parties in the investigation process.

It is therefore a matter of regret and great dismay and we dare say un-Ghanaian that people who had all the information on the matter, would behave as though they had no idea of actions that were being taken by the police in respect of the case.

We would like to urge the general public to exercise restraint and patience with matters that are under police investigation in order not to worsen the pain of those who are directly affected by such incidents.

Source: Classfmonline.com