Zongo youth angry, accuse Police of negligently causing death of suspect

About 100 angry residents of Kwesimintsim Zongo in Takoradi besieged the Kwsimintsim Police Station Thursday to demand answers from authorities who they accused of negligently causing the death of a suspect who was being held in their cell. The deceased, Abdul Rahman Dauda, was arrested together with other residents of Kwesimintsim Zongo for allegedly destroying motorbikes belonging to two community watchdog committee members. Relatives of the deceased were said to have pleaded with the Police to take him to hospital for medical care because he complained of not feeling well but the police personnel at the station were said to have refused. A family member of the deceased who spoke to Takoradi-based connect FM on condition of anonymity, said the police ignored pleas from Dauda that he was not well until he collapsed in the cell before he was handed over to them Thursday. The relatives immediately rushed him to hospital but died shortly. The situation angered the residents in the area who stormed the police station shortly after the demise of Dauda, to demand explanations, but the officers at the station sensing a potential danger, called for reinforcement. The angry youth eventually left the police station without any skirmishes. Background A suspected thief, who has been identified as Mubarak, was lynched Tuesday at Kwesimintsim, something that infuriated the family and the people in the area. They accused two watchdog committee members whose names were given only as Sulley and Bashiru, of instigating the lynching and consequently vandalised their motorbikes. The police was said to have been notified about the incident and on Wednesday stormed the area to arrest the deceased and others as those responsible for the act. Dauda was said to have complained of illness and pleaded to be taken to hospital but the police ignored his pleas until he collapsed in the cell Thursday. Meanwhile, the Kwesimintsim Police have declined to speak on the issue. By Loveridge Ampratwum Okyere|editors.3news.com|Ghana