Two cops allegedly commit suicide within 48 hours
Barely two days after a police commander shot himself, a junior cop has also committed suicide.
Constable Yelnona Eugene of the National Protection Unit, shot himself in Accra on Monday, February 1, 2020.
An AK 47 assault rifle was found together with the body in a washroom of the Ridge residence where he was on guard duty.
The Ghana Police Service confirmed the death in a press statement issued by Director of Public Affairs, Sheilla Kessie Abayie-Buckman.
The release said Constable Yelnona “was found dead at his duty point with gunshot wound”.
This would be the third reported police suicide in less than two years.
Ill health
Reports indicate that the policeman was sick and had taken leave days for treatment.
He reported back on Friday, January 29 to seek an extension of his leave to enable him to seek further medical attention.
However, he was denied the request.
Even though his medication condition is not publicly known, it is believed to be psychological.
Half-Assini Commander shoot himself dead
On Saturday, January 30, the District Commander of Half-Asini, Superintendent of Police (SP) Cyprian Zenge, allegedly committed suicide.
Mr Zenge is reported to have shot himself in the head at about 7 am.
That was the second time a police officer had committed suicide at Half Asini in less than two years.
He is believed to have snapped his own life with a pistol at his home.
A suicide note at the scene read:” I am fed up in this world”.
Western Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Olivia Adiku, confirmed the death.
The deceased was found “sitting in a blue chair with a gunshot wound on his forehead”.
The pistol was found beside the body and one spent bullet shell under the seat.
Police suicide history in Half-Assini
In March 2019, Sergeant Fuseini Mohammed of the Marine Police Unit and one of the officers guarding the Osagyefo Power Barge also shot and killed himself.
Reports indicated that he wilfully sent his supporting guard to buy him a razor blade just to allow him space and freedom to commit the suicide.
Sgt Mohammed was found lying in a supine position in a pool of blood dead with the AK 47 rifle he used in the suicide by his legs.
A suicide note left behind read, “I can’t take this disgrace, something I don’t know about.”
He also wrote the mobile phone numbers of his wife, one Hajia and one Bianka on a sheet of paper.
Some police officers had been accused of theft, but Sergeant Mohammed was not part of the culprits.
Suicide records
The WHO has shown that a person dies every 40 seconds by suicide worldwide, with 25 more people attempting suicide.
This puts the data of persons dying averagely per year to suicide at approximately 800,000.
Director-General at the Mental Health Authority, Dr Kwasi Osei, stated in 2019 that an NGO pegged suicided in Ghana at 1,500 deaths per annum.
Dr Osei has been championing allocation of more funds to deal with mental health in Ghana. He also highlighted the need to introduce mental health levy.
He is also advocating the approval of a mental health levy to cater for the high cost of treatment.