Two suspects at the Ashaiman police cells are reported dead Monday morning. Adom FM said the deceased have been identified as Eben Teye and Usif Seidu. Five other inmates have been rushed to the hospital due to either dehydration or suffocation.
It is not yet clear what accounted for the deaths, but Adom FM points to congestion and excessive heat in the cells. Close to 53 inmates were locked up in a small cell over a period of time pending their arraignment before court. This he said generated excessive heat in the cells.
The heat in the cells was compounded Sunday by the acute water shortage in the Ashaiman municipality which made it impossible for the inmates to take some shower each time the heat was getting too excessive.
Meanwhile, friends and loved ones of suspects in custody at the police station have reportedly besieged the premises to inquire about their relatives when news of the deaths broke out. They were met with deafening silence by the police officers on duty, who insists only their superiors could answer their queries.
The superior officers are also not immediately available, a situation that has led to considerable tension in the vicinity. 20 of the inmates were later this morning transferred to the Nsawam prison to ease congestion at the cells.
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