Two remand prisoners suffocated and three others collapsed on Sunday night after 52 men were crammed into the Ashaiman police cell which is supposed to accommodate 20 suspects.
Police named the dead as William Asomani, 30 and Issaka Salifu, 38 who were admitted to the cell on Friday for allegedly causing harm. Their bodies have been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary for autopsy.
Abu Yahya, Illiasu Mohammed and Ebenezer Teye who collapsed as a result of the intense heat were treated at the Tema General Hospital. Briefing the press yesterday about the incident, Superintendent Peter Kobina, Commander of the Ashaiman District Police Station said some of the cell inmates called the police officers on duty yesterday and told them that two of their colleagues had died.
Asomani was said to have collapsed and died at about 10.30pm on Sunday while Salifu passed out at 7.00am yesterday. He said when the officers opened the cell door in the morning to verify, some of the inmates attempted to escape but they were restrained. Supt. Kobina said the families of the deceased had not been informed yet.
He said lack of adequate transport to convey remand prisoners to and from prisons compelled the police to keep suspects in the nearest police cells. He said that some of them were involved in armed robbery and drug trafficking and could be dangerous so they need to be transported to and from court in well protected vehicles.
Asked whether some of the inmates would be transported to other cells in Tema and surrounding area in view of the current development, he said that the situation in the other cells was not different.
He, therefore urged the authorities to provide the police with transportation and accommodation to enhance their work. Supt. Kobina also called for expeditious trials to reduce congestion in the cells.
Mrs. Patience Mamattah, Tema General Hospital Administrator, confirmed that three men were rushed to the hospital by the police in the morning, adding that two of them were treated and discharged but one was admitted and was responding to treatment.
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