The management of the West Hills Mall has provided details on Shadrach Arloo, a 32-year-old man, who died on their premises at Weija in Accra.
Assistant Asset Manager of the West Hills Mall, Olympio Agbodza, noted in a statement that eyewitness accounts including that of its security personnel indicate that Shadrach Arloo resisted arrest by a police officer who suspected he was in possession of drugs or banned substances.
Confirming the incident at their premises on Monday afternoon (January 30, 2023) at 3:15 pm, the West Hills Mall said Shadrach Arloo, a “visitor” at the premises, was confronted by a police officer and asked to present his bag for examination.
“The police officer ostensibly suspected the customer, a young man between 25 and 30 years, of possessing drugs or banned substances”.
“The young man hesitated, removed something from his bag and swallowed it as the policeman approached him.”
“West Hills Mall’s 24-hour security surveillance system captured footage of the officer apprehending the young man, as well as another man who accompanied him, as they headed for the main entrance of the mall. In an attempt to handcuff the young man, a struggle between the parties ensued while the police officer tried to handcuff him”.
“He was eventually handcuffed but stopped struggling and appeared unwell after that. The police subsequently removed the cuffs from his hands, and Mall Security arranged for transportation for him to be taken to the medical facility on-site. Sadly, he was pronounced dead by medics upon arrival.”
The Weija District Police have since retrieved the body of the deceased, the management added.
Shadrach Arloo, 32, was scheduled to travel to Germany on Tuesday, according to his sister Perpetual Didier but 24 hours before that journey, he had an encounter with a policeman and private security personnel that resulted in his death.
He was allegedly beaten to death by one of the said men, according to some eyewitnesses.
Meanwhile, his sister, Perpetual Didier, indicated that an eyewitness told the family that Shadrach was tased.
She claimed Shadrach had gone to the mall for shopping and was there to buy some items he was expected to carry along to Germany for his elder sister – this sister had facilitated his documentation and travel.
On his way out of the mall premises, the policeman reportedly confronted him.
The policeman is said to have demanded that he hands over his luggage for a search.
He rejected and insisted he was not going to do so.
According to eyewitnesses, his explanation was that he suspected that the police could plant something in it to incriminate him.
According to the sister, the eyewitnesses told the family that Shadrach insisted that if they wanted to search his bag, he was ready to go with them to the nearest police station for that purpose.
This resulted in an altercation, during which Shadrach was reportedly beaten and tased, resulting in his death, the sister alleged.
The case has since been reported at the SCC Police station, and the body has been deposited at the Police Hospital morgue in Accra.
Meanwhile, the police, in a press statement issued Tuesday night (January 31, 2023), said the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) has commenced an investigation into the allegation and has contacted Perpetual Didier to assist with the investigation.
“We would like to assure the public of a thorough investigation into the matter,” a statement signed by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Mr Victor K. Dosoo for the Director of Police Public Affairs said.
It said the police’s attention was drawn to the video of Perpetual Didier on social media in which she alleged that a police officer had caused the death of her brother.
