The family of 24-year-old gold dealer Daniel Asare of Akyem Mampong near Anyinam in the Eastern Region has rejected his body and petitioned the Inspector General of Police for a full-scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death while in police custody.
Daniel Asare reportedly died during a police operation under the Eastern South Regional Police Command.
According to a police accident report signed by Superintendent Emelia Asiedua Gyekye of the Eastern South Regional Motor Traffic and Transport Department, the incident occurred on March 11, 2026, on the Anyinam bypass near Mampong.
Police claim the deceased was sitting in a police vehicle when he suddenly opened the door and jumped out while allegedly attempting to escape.
The report stated that he subsequently crashed into a Ford Escape vehicle with registration number GS 7552-13, driven by Eric Afful, with Rev. Professor Seth Asare Danso onboard.
Police say Daniel Asare sustained serious injuries and was rushed to Hawa Memorial Saviour Hospital at Osiem, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
However, eyewitnesses reportedly claim the deceased was handcuffed and being chased by police officers at the time of the incident.
A post-mortem examination conducted at the Kibi Government Hospital reportedly concluded that the cause of death was intracranial bleeding, severe head injuries, and bilateral fractures of the femur resulting from a road traffic accident.
The case docket has since been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Office in Koforidua for legal advice.
But lawyers for the family, Nkrabeah & Associates, have strongly challenged the police account, describing it as inconsistent and “far away from the truth.”
In a petition addressed to the IGP and dated April 7, 2026, the lawyers alleged that some police officers operating within Osino, Anyinam, Akyem Mampong, Kibi and surrounding communities have turned themselves into “illegal gangs” allegedly extorting money from miners.
The petition claims police officers allegedly demand up to GH¢30,000 from persons arrested at mining sites before releasing them.
According to the lawyers, Daniel Asare died during one of such operations.
An uncle of the deceased, identified only as Asare, insisted the victim was not involved in illegal mining but had gone to the site on behalf of a business associate to deliver money.
The family is also questioning why the police failed to clearly disclose the circumstances under which Daniel Asare was in the police vehicle.
Meanwhile, the family says it will not accept the body for burial until independent investigations are conducted into the matter.
Lawyers for the family have also written to the Attorney General’s office seeking updates on investigations to guide further legal action.
Speaking to the media, the father of the deceased, Kwabena Baafi, described his late son as the breadwinner of the family, whose flourishing gold trading business supported many people in the community.
He says the family is devastated by the sudden death and suspects foul play, calling on the IGP to constitute an independent committee to investigate the matter.
