The police have dispatched a forensic team, including ballistic experts to the Nkoranza South Municipality to probe the circumstances that led to the death of a trader, Albert Donkor.
A statement issued on Sunday by the Ghana Police Service said that the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) investigation is ongoing and will be extended to include the police’s response to the mob attacks at the police station.
The 28-year-old trader is said to have died in police custody while assisting the Nkoranza South police in a robbery investigation.
The youth are, however, convinced that the deceased was targeted because he chanced on the same robbery scene involving some policemen.
They are therefore demanding justice for the death of the young businessman.
The police further assured that through sustained operations calm has been restored in the area after the weeklong violence and tension.
What necessitated Tuesday’s protest
The youth of Nkoranza Tuesday took to the streets of the town to protest the death of Albert.
The rampaging youth protested after the police released an official statement describing the deceased, who was picked up at his residence, as an “armed robbery suspect”.
The statement infuriated the already distressed youth, who believed that the deceased, who is a trader, was targeted because he chanced on a robbery scene involving some policemen.
The youth suspects the police killed Albert Donkor while he was in their custody and wants justice.
The youth, who dressed in red gear, blocked some streets of the town, burnt car tyres, and besieged the local police station, where they are said to have vandalised some vehicles to register their displeasure.
The attack remained one-sided for several minutes until the arrival of a police reinforcement team.
The youth, bent on taking the fight to the police, stood their ground as they pelted the armed officers with stones and clubs.
They reportedly freed six other suspects held at the Nkoranza Municipal Police Headquarters, including a suspect who the Nkoranza Court remanded.
Calm was later restored after the Paramount Chief of Nkoranza, Nana Kwame Baffoe IV, appealed to them and promised to support the appropriate bodies for speedy investigations personally.
Security presence in Nkoranza has also been increased following heightened tensions between the youth and the police.
Meanwhile, the family of the 28-year-old trader and footballer has proceeded to court to seek justice for their deceased relative.
An uncle to the deceased, Rev Dr Mathias Sarkodie, revealed that the application is currently before the Accra High Court.
The family spokesperson is convinced his young nephew Albert Donkor may have been targeted after chancing on a robbery scene involving some police officers.
“We have sent the issue to the Accra High Court to seek justice for Albert. The police knew what happened, and we suspect they killed Albert to destroy evidence. So, we have given the issue to the High Court in Accra to investigate the incident for us to know exactly what happened,” he said on Accra-based Citi FM monitored by theghanareport.com.
He is optimistic that this move will allow for thorough investigations into the sudden death of his relative.