Constable Eugene Yelnon
A police officer has reportedly committed suicide at his duty post at Ridge in Accra.
It comes barely 48 hours after news broke that Superintendent Cyprian McCarthy Zenge, 57, the Jomoro Municipal Police Commander, had also committed suicide by shooting himself with his gun in his room at Half Assini.
General Constable Eugene Yelnona, attached to the National Protection Unit (NPU), allegedly shot himself with his duty rifle in a washroom at his duty point on Monday dawn.
The police officer was providing protection for an exiled Togolese opposition leader, when the incident occurred.
Information gathered by DAILY GUIDE indicated that Constable Yelnona had been unwell for the past months and had been on sick leave.
Sources said the sick leave ended on January 29, 2021.
“The police officer on Friday, January 29, 2021, reported at his unit seeking an extension of his leave to continue with his medication and treatment at home but he was denied the leave extension and put on guard duty at the residence,” sources revealed.
It is allege that the police officer was having “psychological” problems, hence his request for a sick leave to cure himself.
The regional police command is conducting investigations into the matter.
Superintendent Sheilla Kessie Abayie-Buckman, the Director in charge of the Public Affairs Department of the Ghana Police Service, in a release issued, confirmed the death of the police constable on February 1, 2021 at his duty point with gunshot wounds.
She said investigation had already commenced to unravel the circumstances of his death, with the national CID crime scene and homicide teams having already visited the scene of crime.
“The family of the police officer has also been informed of the death, and the Police Administration urges all to be sensitive on the bereaved and circumspect in their reportage or commentary on the matter as investigation is ongoing,” she said.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey