Lawyer Africanus Owusu-Ansah speaking to Daily Guide
A PRIVATE legal practitioner in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi, has accused the Asokwa Police of unprofessionalism in their handling of a suspected murder case that was recently reported to them.
Lawyer Africanus Owusu-Ansah reproved the police for incarcerating two suspects alleged to have had a hand in the death of US-based Ghanaian, Elvis George Amofa aka Agyemang, beyond the constitutionally mandated 48 hours without arraigning them.
Article 14 (3) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana states: “A person arrested, restricted or detained shall be brought before a court within forty eight (48) hours after the arrest, restriction and detention”.
Speaking to DAILY GUIDE, Lawyer Owusu-Ansah claimed he was thrown out of a senior police officer’s office when he attempted to secure a police enquiry bail for the suspects – Angie Ataa, one of Agyemang’s wives and Osei Assibey, his brother, a day after they were arrested.
“My plea for bail was not entertained and for the whole of Saturday, February 23, 2019 (7am – 6pm), I was at the Asokwa Police Station. Finally, Osei Assibey was released after I had strongly pleaded alibi for him,” he revealed.
The lawyer wondered why the police should keep the suspects in cells between Friday, February 22, 2019, and Monday, February 25, 2019, without arraignment when the cause of Amofa’s death had not been established to determine whether there was foul play or not.
He decried the manner in which police often molest and torture suspects in the country, insisting that a suspect is innocent until proven guilty beyond all reasonable doubts.
Being disillusioned about the attitude of the Asokwa Police in their handling of the case, the lawyer has consequently lodged a complaint with the Ashanti Regional Crime Officer, ACP Peter Baba, with copies to the Regional Police Commander and the Attorney General’s Department in Kumasi.
ACP Peter Baba confirmed that he received the lawyer’s complaint and indicated that the Asokwa District and Divisional Crime Officers had been invited to a meeting over the matter.
Meanwhile, a post-mortem examination conducted on the body of Elvis George Amofa believed to be in his 50s by doctors at the Emena Hospital has revealed that he died of natural causes.
The US-based Ghanaian who had reportedly returned home about three months ago died a few hours after falling unconscious at Angie’s house at about 2 pm, after leaving his house with his first wife around 10 am on Monday, February 18, 2019.
He was rushed to Atonsu Agogo Hospital in Kumasi where Osei Assibey was called in to care for him but he eventually died the same day.
FROM James Quansah, Kumasi