Probe Nursing College Tutor’s Death – IGP Told

The late Francis Gbene

Tutors at the Mampong Midwifery Training College have called for an independent investigation into the cause of the death of the late Francis Gbene, tutor of the college and his younger brother who were shot dead by the police on Wednesday, February 10, at the college campus.

At a press briefing at the college auditorium on Thursday, Ms. Mercy Kporku, vice principal of the college, called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to institute an independent investigation to thoroughly look into the matter.

She catalogued eyewitness accounts of the incidence that led to the death of the tutor and said if the police were professional in their conduct the incident would have been averted.

Ms. Kporku said after the incident, seven bullet shells were picked from where the victims were shot and wounded.

She asked, “Why were the police patrol team still firing at the victims who were on motorbike and unarmed?”

She said after the incident Francis was conscious and pleaded to be taken to the hospital, but the police decided to take the victims to the charge office before taking them to the hospital where they later died.

Francis Gbene and his brother, who had gone to the rescue of a colleague teacher under armed robbery attack, were mistaken for criminals and shot dead by the police.

The school authorities say the two would have survived if the police had heeded pleas to rush them to the hospital, which is just behind the school’s walls, for medical attention.

After allegedly shooting them, the police reportedly drove them to the residence of the female teacher to suggest that they had arrested the suspected robbers.

The shocked female teacher indicated to them that the two were not criminals, and joined her wounded colleague who was then alive, to plead with them (police) to take him to the hospital.

The police allegedly insisted on taking the victims first to the charge office, about 10 kilometers away.

“The policemen instead of agreeing and sending him to the hospital, rather said they had to send Gbene and the brother to the charge office before sending them to the hospital and then drove off. We strongly believe that on this particular occasion, if the police were a little more professional, this incident wouldn't have happened. We seek justice and we will follow this matter to its logical conclusion,” Ms. Kporku said at the press conference.

Present at the briefing were the family members of the deceased, the District Director of Ghana Health Service, the Medical Superintendent of Mampong District Hospital and staff of the college.

The late Francis Gbene, 33, left behind a wife and a child.