The Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Dorcas Affo-Toffey has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the death of one of her constituents, Shadrack Arloo, at Accra’s West Hills mall.
Shadrack Arloo, 32, was pronounced dead at a hospital after video footage showed someone attacking him while he was handcuffed on the mall floor.
The MP, on the other hand, has objected to the police autopsy report, which revealed that the suspect died as a result of an obstruction of his airway caused by a foreign body suspected to be marijuana.
In an interview with Citi News, the lawmaker stated that she would not give up her efforts to seek justice for the deceased.
“We have petitioned CHRAJ, so we are waiting to hear from them to quicken investigations into the matter. We do not agree with the autopsy report and so that is what we have done. I have also made a statement on the floor asking that the matter is referred to the Committee on Defence and Interior for further probing.”
Members of Parliament are demanding an oversight enquiry into the circumstances that led to the killing.
In the statement on the floor of Parliament, the Jomoro lawmaker, Dorcas Affo-Toffey together with some Members of Parliament urged the house to constitute an independent commission to investigate the matter.
“I call on this August House to invoke its legislative authority to set up an independent police commission and grant it the powers to investigate, for example, instances where the police stand accused of unlawful killing. Such a response will help curb actual or potential cover-ups in the future”.
“Mr. Speaker, kindly permit me to state that I have petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the horrifying human rights violation meted out to Shadrack. Let me also use this opportunity to urge the Commission to quicken its investigation into the matter to give the grieving family closure. I humbly pray that the statement be referred to the Committee on Defence and Interior to conduct an independent parliamentary probe into the true circumstances leading to the death of Shadrack,” she said.
