C/R: Tension Mounts At Asikuma Over Death Of ‘Wee’ Suspect

Tension is brewing at Asikuma in the Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa District in the Central Region, following a 40-year-old suspected wee dealer who died in police cells.

Kweku Botwe was arrested and detained by the Police over alleged possession of marijuna locally known as "wee."

Botwe death however triggered violence as residents besieged Asikuma Police station, demanding justice for their love one.

Reports from the District indicated that, the deceased was arrested together with two other suspects namely, Kwesi Ennin, 33 and Abotsu Omaru, 18.

They were arrested at a coconut plantation in the evening of Wednesday June 4, upon a tip off with quantities of dried leaves suspected to be narcotic drugs.

Other items the police said to have retrieved from the scene where the suspects were arrested includes a pair of scissors, two boxes of matches and cash amount of GHS64.00.

Already, police claimed the area have been declared as a criminal den where most of the youth hide out to perpetrate crime and smoke the illegal herb.

According to the police, Botwe who is also known as Kwabena Beka, “complained of dizziness whiles in detention at Asikuma police station” in the night and was rushed to the Asikuma Hospital where he later died while receiving treatment.

The suspect death, has however triggered agitation among some youth residents who stormed the police station, Thursday morning to demand the release of the other two suspects who are still in detention.

“They pelted stones and broke a glass window at Asikuma police station. They were however dispersed,” a police report sighted by Modernghana claimed.

Reinforcement was sought from Mankessim, Ajumako, and the Regional Headquarters to bring the situation under control. The area is now calmed,” the police report said.

Central Regional Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Irene Oppong confirmed the incident to local media that the matter would be investigated to establish the real of caused the death of the suspect,

She however called on the resident to remain calm, stating that, “The regional police command wants to assure the general public that all investigations will be done to determine the cause of death which will be conducted by an expert at the hospital.

“They should not take the law into their own hands, they should make sure that they don’t destroy any property at any place including the Police station… wait for us to get the cause of death when post-mortem is performed on the body,” she assured the Residents.

The police PRO also expressed the Police Command’s condolences to the deceased family and further assured that, the matter would be thoroughly investigated.

The body of the deceased has been deposited at the Asikuma hospital morgue awaiting post-mortem.