Court orders pathologist to produce autopsy report in 7 days

The Sekondi District Court B has requested the post mortem results of a taxi driver who mysteriously died in police custody after his arrest.

The court presided over by Her Worship Rosemary Hayford, requested that the Pathologist at the Effia-Nkwanta Hospital, in Sekondi, Dr Isaac Eskin present the first autopsy result which was conducted on the deceased, Mr Jospeh Entsie on 10th January 2022, to the court registry.

According to the judge, the result from the autopsy will determine the next step to take in the investigation process.

Counsel for the family, Mr Ebo Donko in an interview with Skyy News, said he is satisfied with the ruling of the court to request the autopsy result from the pathologist in 7 days.

He said, “You may have also heard that the police on their own went ahead to conduct an autopsy, the court did not bother to request for that, because the police conducted did so without directives from the court.”

“We are waiting for the outcome of the autopsy results which we are told is ready and has to be deposited at the registry of the court within 7 days.”

The court also made it clear that without their authorisation, the owners or administrators of the mortuary where the mortal remains cannot be removed for burial.

The case has been adjourned to March 31st, 2022.

Background:

On December 25, 2021, the late Joseph Entsie was arrested and detained in custody at the Sekondi Central Police Station for allegedly breaking traffic rules.

The driver was later pronounced dead while in police custody on the same day. The police announced to the family that their relative committed suicide whilst in custody and that caused his death.

The body was then deposited at the Effiankwanta Regional Hospital Morgue and later transferred to a mortuary at Funkoe.

A coroner ordered an autopsy to be conducted to ascertain the real cause of the death of the taxi driver.

From this, a pathologist at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital known as Dr. Erskine on January 10, 2022, conducted the examination.

According to the family, the pathologist communicated to them that the real cause of death of their relative was not as a result of hanging as alleged by the police.

The lawyer indicated that the family is demanding the full autopsy report from the pathologist.