The Sowutum District Court, presided over by Stephen Tabiri, has been informed that no physical mark of assault was found on the body of Shadrack Allu, a 32-year old man, who was allegedly killed by Kwame Boafo Osei at the West Hills.
The court was further informed that prior to Shadrack’s death, he was running away from a peace officer detailed to perform a duty at the West Hills Mall in Accra.
Therefore, it was during this struggle between the police sergeant and the deceased that caught the attention of the accused to intervene with his taser.
The prosecution, led by Inspector M. Kwakye, indicated that the deceased died, due to the shock released from the taser by the accused person.
As a result, the accused has been slapped with murder, a first degree felony, which is punishable by death.
The accused plea was not taken and has been remanded into police custody to reappear on February 16, 2023.
Presenting the brief facts to the court, Insp Kwakye told the court that the Complainant in the case is Bernard Barnor Denkyi, an Operation Manager of West Hill Mall located at Weija, while the accused, a shop Manager of Max Buy Ghana Limited, dealers of Electrical Appliance, also located within the West Hill Mail.
According to the prosecution, on January 30, 2023 Police Sergeant Daniel Abeiku was stationed at Visibility Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Headquarters, was detailed to perform a duty at the West Hills Mall.
He added that while he was patrolling in the Mall, he saw Shadrack Allu, aged 32 years, now deceased, and Ibrahim Seshi, a witness in the case, carrying backpacks.
The police Sergeant allegedly became suspicious of the deceased and Ibrahim;s movement and stopped the deceased to search his backpack.
Inspector Kwakye narrated to the court that the deceased, opened his backpack and removed something wrapped in black polythene from the backpack, and put it in his back pocket and started running outside.
The Police Sergeant allegedly also pursued the deceased and was able to arrest him. The deceased allegedly also struggled with the law enforcement officer.
It was alleged that while the Policeman was handcuffing the deceased, he removed the said wrapped black polythene from his pocket and swallowed it.
The accused person, who also saw the incident, rushed to the scene and removed his personal Taser and shocked the deceased.
“The deceased fell unconscious as a result and was rushed to the Somotech Hospital within the Mall for treatment, but he was pronounced dead on arrival by the Medical Doctor,” he added.
During interrogation, the accused admitted that he bought the Taser for self-defence. The court was further told that the body of the deceased was carefully inspected but no physical marks of assault were found on him. The body has been transferred to the Police Hospital for preservation and autopsy.
He stated that investigation is still ongoing.
