Justice For Kpesenu: Keta MP Calls for Parliamentary Probe Into Tragic Death In Police Custody

Member of Parliament (MP) for the Keta Constituency, Hon Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey, has condemned the rising spate of Police brutalities in the country, which he said had led to many law abiding citizens losing trust in the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, June 26, Hon. Gakpey mentioned the recent death in Police custody of Jerry Kpesenu, a middle aged and popular law abiding citizen and resident of Keta who was said to have been allegedly manhandled by some Police officers at the Keta Divisional Police Command, leading to his tragic passing and called for a Parliamentary probe into the incident to unravel the mystery surrounding Jerry Kpesenu’s death in Police custody.

“Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today with a heavy heart and a profound sense of duty to address a grave injustice that has befallen our community in Keta. It is with deep sorrow that I bring to your attention the tragic and untimely death of our brother, Jerry Kpesenu, also known as MAYA, who passed away under questionable circumstances while in police custody on the 6th of June 2024. Mr. Speaker, the good law-abiding people of Keta, both home and abroad, are seeking justice for Jerry Kpesenu, a respected landlord in our community. It is alleged that he died following an altercation with officers from the Keta Police Division, during which he was reportedly subjected to brutal and unprofessional treatment,” Hon. Gakpey said.

He added: “This incident has left our community in shock and in a state of mourning. The good people of Keta, have expressed their deep sorrow and frustration over the unprofessional and inhumane conduct of the police officers involved. The people of Keta demand immediate and decisive action to ensure justice is served.

To ensure that the Police service is made accountable to the good people of Ghana, I request that you refer this matter to the appropriate select committee for a probe into the matter to determine further actions to be taken by this Honorable House.”

The MP has earlier petitioned the Minister of the Interior, Hon. Henry Quartey to use his good office to cause or cause to be initiated, an independent and a full scale investigation into the circumstances leading to the bizarre death of Jerry including an autopsy by a well recognized and highly respected pathology center in the country with costs covered by the Police to establish the true cause of death of the deceased.

News of the death of Jerry Kpesenu, a popular landlord and resident of Keta in the Volta region broke earlier this month after he was said to have been arrested and detained by the Keta Divisional Police following a complaint lodged against him by one of his tenants who was said to have tried installing an air conditioner in his apartment without the deceased’s consent, resulting in a bitter dispute.

Multiple eye witness accounts say the Police officers detailed to effect the deceased’s arrest resorted to intimidation maltreatment and physical assault by beating the deceased with electrical cables before bundling him into their vehicle to the Police station which many believe may have resulted in his tragic passing.

The incident sparked widespread outrage and agitation among the youth of the area who have in a press statement expressed their disgust over the incident, accusing the police of heavy handedness and professional misconduct, calling on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Interior Minister to to cause an independent inquiry into the incident and punish the perpetrators to serve as a deterent to others, serve justice to Jerry and to bring the issue to rest or face their wrath.

By Leo Nelson || Ghananewsonline.com.gh