The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr Akuffo-Dampare has ordered the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) to investigate the death of a trader in Nkoranza in the Bono East Region.

In a press statement by the Police on Tuesday, Director-General of Public Affairs, DCOP Kwasi Ofori said, the IGP “spoke with the family [of the deceased] on the telephone and has constituted a high-powered delegation led by COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, the Director-General/Administration to visit Nkoranza tomorrow [Wednesday, for further engagement with all stakeholders.”

The Police have urged the public to avoid unfounded speculations which have the potential to prejudice the outcome of the investigation.

On Monday, the Nkoranza South MP, Emmanuel Agyekum gave a blow-by-blow account of how 28-year-old trader, Alber Akwasi Donkor died while in Police custody.

The deceased, who is a footballer and digital television installer, is said to have been picked up from his Nkoranza South home by armed officers at 2 am on April 24, 2022, in an unregistered vehicle on an anti-armed robbery operation.

The MP while narrating the incident on Joy FM alleged that Albert was killed four hours after he was picked up by the armed Police officers.

He added that after the suspect was murdered, the Police took his body to the Techiman Holy Family mortuary.

Narrating the chronology of events, the police said as part of a holistic strategy to fight the menace of armed robbery since August 2021, they have deployed a special anti-robbery task force to all the robbery-prone areas across the country.

“In the Bono East Region, Police gathered intelligence that a suspect, Albert Donkor, and a gang of five other suspected armed robbers, whose names are being withheld for investigation purposes, were involved in several armed robbery attacks in the region, including armed robbery attacks at Nkoranza on April 19 and 20, 2022.

“Based on this intelligence, an operation was conducted during which suspect Albert Donkor was shot. He was rushed to the Holy Family Hospital for medical attention but he was pronounced dead on arrival,” parts of the statement read.

After his death, the Police say they have held several engagements with Albert’s family and other relevant stakeholders to respond to their concerns.

Meanwhile, the IGP has constituted a high-powered delegation led by the Director-General in charge of Administration, COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, to visit the community on Wednesday, May 18.

“Also, the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) has commenced an investigation into the incident to ascertain whether the operation was carried out in line with the standard operating procedures of the Service. A team from the PPSB has visited the area in this regard.

“In view of the PPSB investigation, we urge the public to avoid unfounded speculations which have the potential to prejudice the outcome of the ongoing investigation. We wish to assure the good people of Ghana that we are committed to ensuring the safety and security of all and we urge you to support us in the fight against violent crimes in the country,” the statement added.