General News of Sunday, 5 February 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Family petitions IGP over the death of their brother

The late Shadrack and the IGP The late Shadrack and the IGP

The late Shadrack Arloo's family has asked Dr Akufo Dampare, the Inspector General of Police, to launch an urgent investigation into the event that resulted in their brother's death at the West Hills Mall.

Shadrack Arloo was said to have been killed by police officers at the mall.

The family in a petition to the IGP are demanding disciplinary actions against the said officers should they be found culpable after the investigations.

In addition, the family is also asking for financial compensation for the loss of their brother and for support for a son the late Shadrack left behind according to myjoyonline.com report.

According to the family, the manner in which the late Arloo died is a clear case of murder, hence must be investigated.

“This unfortunate incident happened as a result of the reckless disregard for human life exhibited by your officers on the scene.

“Your officers at the scene together with the private security stationed at the West Hills Mall and other persons on the 30th of January 2023 acted together to violate the deceased’s rights to human dignity and to life as guaranteed under Articles 15 and 13 of the 1992 Constitution,” the family said in their petition.

Background:

Gospel musician, Perpetual Didier alleged in a viral video that her brother was killed by some police officers.

According to her, the incident happened at the West Hills Mall in Accra on January 30, 2022.

The musician explained that her brother, only named Shadrach, was brutally assaulted by the uniformed policemen, leading to his untimely death.

“Someone should tag the IGP. I need justice for my brother. Tell him that this is a crime one of his men has done to my family by killing my brother. We are all Ghanaians with equal rights and freedom. Why will you use your position to take someone’s life?” she said in her Facebook Live video, amidst tears.

How the incident came about:

In her narration, her brother (the deceased) had gone to the West Hills Mall to withdraw money in order to purchase some items intended to be sent to his sister in Germany.

She added that, from what an eyewitness told her, the police demanded that her brother hand over his bag to be searched, but he refused.

This then led to the police officer getting agitated and then hitting and pushing him to the ground.

Perpetual added that her brother fell to the ground and hit his head on the floor, breaking his neck in the process.

He is said to have lost consciousness, at which time the police officer tased the motionless man on the floor.

It is believed that this worsened the state the young man was already in, leading to his death.

AM/WA