POLICE INVESTIGATE DEATH OF WAEC CLERK (MIRROR, PAGE 34, MARCH 13, 2010)

From Joe Okyere, Elmina

The Elmina police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Sampson Mensah, an Examinations Clerk of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), who died in the Council’s guest house at the Social Security and National Insurance Trust Flats (SSNIT FLATS) at Elmina last Tuesday.
Mr Charles Thompson, a Principal Examinations Officer, who occupies Flat 14, located at the second floor at Block Two, as Mr Mensah, aged about 30, told The Mirror that Mr Mensah retired to bed in a separate room on Tuesday evening after he had taken his supper of banku.
The two, who have been transferred to Cape Coast since March 1, 2010, share the two-bed room flat, which serves as the guesthouse /transit quarters for WAEC staff.
Mr Thompson said around 11:30p.m. he heard an usual cough from Mr Mensah and rushed out of his room to find out what was happening only to be told by Mr Mensah, who was then in the toilet, that he was just coughing.
Mr Thompson stated that he then returned to his room to continue sleeping and that not quite long, Mr Mensah called and asked him to take him to the hospital since he was not feeling well.
Mr Thompson said since Mr Mensah could not walk properly, he helped him to the hall, where he sat on the floor whilst he Mr. Thompson decided to go downstairs to look for a vehicle to send Mr Mensah to the hospital.
He said he returned to find, to his dismay, Mr Mensah lying flat on his back dead.
He said he rushed to the Elmina police to report the incident and also made a statement to the police.
A team of police detectives led by Chief Inspector Eugene Nyavor arrived at the scene the next morning and, after preliminary investigations, conveyed the body to the morgue at the Central Regional Hospital in Cape Coast for autopsy.
The leftover of the banku Mr Mensah had as supper and some tablets found on the dining table, where he sat for the meal, were taken by the police as exhibits to help in the investigations.