IGP orders probe into death of nurse allegedly assaulted by police at Yamfo
PIPS, the internal oversight body of the Ghana Police Service, is mandated to examine allegations of misconduct by officers and promote accountability within the service.
.jpeg)
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has initiated a formal investigation into the tragic death of a nurse in Yamfo, a town in the Ahafo Region, by dispatching personnel from the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau (PIPS) to the area.
PIPS, the internal oversight body of the Ghana Police Service, is mandated to examine allegations of misconduct by officers and promote accountability within the service.
The investigation follows the death of 30-year-old Richard Antwi Agyei, a nurse stationed at the Yamfo Health Centre. According to reports, he died shortly after being allegedly assaulted by police officers during an arrest at a known area for Indian hemp use and distribution.
Another resident is currently receiving treatment at the Sunyani Regional Hospital after reportedly being shot by military personnel who were called in to control an enraged crowd. The shooting is said to have occurred during an attempt to disperse demonstrators who stormed the Yamfo Police Station on April 4 in response to the incident. The officers involved, believed to be from Duayaw-Nkwanta, sought refuge at the station after residents allegedly tried to set it ablaze.
Last Friday, the PIPS team began collecting testimonies. They interviewed Nana Gyamfi Kumanini, leader of the Yamfo Youth Association, as well as eyewitnesses, the Station Officer, and the doctor who received the deceased at the health facility. The team also took statements from the deceased’s family in Kumasi and invited the implicated officers to give their accounts.
As part of the investigative process, a pathologist will soon carry out an autopsy to establish the cause of death. A representative from the deceased’s family will be present during the procedure. Upon conclusion, the body will be released for burial.
The post-mortem findings, along with all other evidence gathered, will be compiled and submitted to the Attorney General’s Office for legal advice and possible charges.
This investigation is expected to bring clarity and accountability to the circumstances surrounding the nurse’s death.
