KATH autopsy report clears police: family of deceased 22-year-old angry

The family of a 22-year-old man said to have been tortured to death in Kumasi by errant police officers is berserk over an autopsy report suggesting the victim died from a natural cause.

The autopsy conducted by the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) exonerated the police officers contrary to claims the officers manhandled the deceased person.

Reports suggested the officers accosted the victim whom they suspected to be an armed robber, beat him up with the barrels of their guns and shocked him a number of times with their tasers.

The victim died shortly after the assault. His death triggered violent protests in the Ashanti Regional town of Krofrom, last Friday.

Angry youth burnt tires, chanted war songs and brandished placards warning the police to stay away from them.

The protests forced the police to begin investigations into the matter and also arrested the officers accused of assaulting the deceased person.

The body of the deceased person was also sent to the KATH for an autopsy to conducted to ascertain the cause of death.

In what the family members describe as shocking, the autopsy report suggested that the deceased, Richmond Osei died of congestive Heart failure, which is natural.

The report was conducted by Dr Ossei Sampene the Pathologist and his assistant Dr Ernest Adjei all of KATH.

The family members some of whom claimed to have seen the police manhandle their brother are smelling foul play and have vowed to use other means, including 'the african power' popular called 'juju' to bring the perpetrators to book.

They told Luv FM's Erastus Asare Donkor but for the assault on their brother, he would not have died.

They are however waiting to officially hear from the police command, Asare Donkor reported.

Meanwhile, the Police administration is expected to issue a statement on the matter very soon