The sequence of events leading to the death of a 32-year-old man on the West Hills Mall’s premises in Accra has been made clear by the mall’s management.
Following an altercation with a police officer at the Mall, Mr. Shadrach Arloo passed away.
The event was captured on camera, and once it went viral, the police opened an inquiry.
In a statement, The Mall said that its CCTV system had recorded the officer’s attempts to detain Mr. Arloo.
According to eyewitnesses and Mall security, the officer requested to search Mr. Arloo’s bag because he thought he might be in possession of some illegal substances.
The accounts claim that the suspect took something from his bag, swallowed it, and that’s what started the fight.
The Mall claimed that the initial struggle as the officer tried to handcuff the suspect was caught on camera.
The suspect eventually gave up and appeared to be sick.
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He was brought to the on-site medical center, where he was confirmed dead when he arrived.
“The Management of West Hills Mall is shocked by this ill-fated incident. We convey our sincerest condolences to the deceased’s family as we trust that the Police will handle the matter further,” the Mall’s statement added.
PRESS STATEMENT
Incident at West Hills Mall on Monday, January 30, 2023
The Management of West Hills Mall hereby confirms that an incident occurred on its premises in the afternoon of Monday, January 30, 2023 which unfortunately resulted in a fatality.
By eyewitness and mall security personnel accounts, at approximately 3:15pm on January 30, 2023, a visitor 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 accounts indicate that 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 of West Hills Mall is shocked by this ill-fated incident. We convey our sincerest condolences to the deceased’s family as we trust that the Police will handle the matter further.
Thank You.
Olympio Agbodza
Assiastant Asset Manager,
West Africa Asset Management
Source: Citinews
