Victim of Police vs Cape Coasters riot died outside hospital - Medical Superintendent
Dr D. G. Damenya, the Medical Superintendent of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Hospital where the man who died during a clash between the Cape Coast police and civilians, says the deceased was brought in dead.
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“The man could have been dead for an hour or less but he was certainly brought in dead,” he stated.
He said the medical doctor who received the deceased’s body only certified death and did not receive a patient as the impression was being created.
The Autopsy
An autopsy report on the deceased noted that Papa Kwesi Mensah, the deceased, also known as Sabado, was a smoker and an occasional drinker, a situation that has led to a tumour in his liver.
The report also said a clot of blood was found in his liver. It also indicated that the deceased had bruises on his body and the death was also caused by shock and bruises he sustained as a result of brutalities.
But police sources have denied that the autopsy implicates the police.
The Police Response
A police official at the Central Regional Police Command said the police would not speak to the press on the matter now. “Our speaking to the press may complicate things.”
“We do not want to solve this problem using the media but it does not mean that the police admit we are the cause of the man’s death.”
He said it would not be right to respond to issues raised by family members in the press, explaining “it’s a very delicate issue and we are handling it with great care.”
But family members insist police brutalities led to the death of the deceased and called for transparent investigations.
One of them said the deceased was assaulted severally by police before taking him to the cells.
Police had earlier stated that Papa Mensah complained he felt sick in cells after he was arrested and was taken to the hospital but was pronounced death at the hospital.
On Tuesday the Central Regional Minister Mr Aquinas Tawiah Quansah and the Omanhen of Cape Coast, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II in a meeting with the Acting Inspector General of Police Mr John Kudalor appealed to him to ensure that anybody found culpable was not shielded.
Mr Kudalor pledged a transparent investigation into riots.