A 25-year-old man has died in ”police custody” after some officers of the Western Region Police Command arrested him.
According to reports, Emmanuel Baiden, popularly known as Abukabakar Sadik was arrested on suspicion of armed robbery.
However, all efforts by his family and other residents to identify the police station he was held after his arrest proved futile.
The family spokesperson said they were later informed by the Police Command that the suspect was killed during a shootout with some officers.
“He was arrested in his house by the police, and they are telling us he was exchanging gunshots with the police and died in the process. We don’t know how to believe this story but we leave it to God,” Muhammed Jawal, the family spokesperson said.
Assembly Member for Ntankoful, Pascal Hagan added that they insisted on an autopsy at the Police Hospital in Accra which confirmed that the suspect died of gunshot wounds.
“When we arrived at the mortuary in Accra, we were informed that the body of our relative had been bagged and so we should take him away.
“We insisted on ensuring an autopsy was performed on the body, they removed the bag and showed us gunshot wounds on his chest. We were later told that he was shot at close range. We wanted to know why a person arrested ended up being shot but the police told us we could not show them their job,” Mr. Hagan.
Meanwhile, another person who was arrested together with the late Abubakar Sadik is still missing.
According to the Assembly member, they believe that the missing man, only identified as Ouattara has also been killed by the police.
“When we arrived at the morgue in Accra, the attendant informed us that two bodies were brought in by the police from Takoradi on that day. He wanted us to take away both bodies but we were denied access by the police.
“We suspect that … Ouattara…..has also been killed. I’m meeting his family members and we shall confront the police on his whereabouts because we have not had any information about him since he was arrested with Abu,” he said.
Meanwhile, Abukabakar Sadik has been laid to rest.
The police are yet to comment on the issue.