Senior Officers from the Ghana Police Service, relatives, and the Police fraternity traveled to Adomfe in the Asanti Akyem South Municipality of the Ashanti Region to bid farewell to a police officer who lost his life together with his family in a fire outbreak.
Police laid to rest
The late police officer who was attached to the Anti-Robbery Unit of the Ashanti Command, 35-year-old Sergeant Owusu Asante Baafi was buried in his hometown on Saturday, January 28, 2023.
<img class=”image lazyloaded imgWithMetaData” src=”data:;base64,” alt=”” width=”790″ height=”593″ data-original=”https://ocdn.eu/pulscms-transforms/1/CaoktkpTURBXy82N2M3MDg5NzkxZTc4ODMzZDI4Y2Q2NDc3YmU0YWJiNy5qcGeRlQLNAxbNAlHCww” />
<img class=”image lazyloaded imgWithMetaData” src=”data:;base64,” alt=”” width=”790″ height=”593″ data-original=”https://ocdn.eu/pulscms-transforms/1/cpvktkpTURBXy81YWI3MjY4MzUwZmVjYzAxODRjNzBlZWY3NWU5ZGY0OS5qcGeRlQLNAxbNAlHCww” />
His wife, 32-year-old Millicent Akyaa Agyei, and the three-month-old child, Samuel Kwabena Baafi Nyamedo who died in the incident were also buried.
The late officer and his family perished after a fire gutted a police apartment at Apromase on January 16, 2023.
The Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akufo Dampare who visited the scene after the incident instructed the immediate relocation of all police officers and their families from a housing facility at Apromase to another location.
<img class=”image lazyloaded imgWithMetaData” src=”data:;base64,” alt=”” width=”790″ height=”593″ data-original=”https://ocdn.eu/pulscms-transforms/1/D9NktkpTURBXy8zNWU1ZjZiNjIwNTk0ZDY4ZjdiODUwNzVhZTZlM2UxYS5qcGeRlQLNAxbNAlHCww” />
The Police and the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) have launched a joint investigation into the incident.
The Inspector General of Police had said there will be a comprehensive structural and technical assessment of the facility as part of the investigations.
The Police administration also deployed clinical psychologists to provide psycho-social support to the victim.
Relatives and colleagues of the late police officer and his wife broke down in tears when their remains were being taken to the cemetery at Adomfe.
The coffin of the late police officer was draped in a Ghana Police Service flag with a service cap placed on it.
<img class=”image lazyloaded imgWithMetaData” title=”Police officer laid to rest” src=”data:;base64,” alt=”Police officer laid to rest” width=”750″ height=”375″ data-original=”https://ocdn.eu/pulscms-transforms/1/4g4ktkpTURBXy8wZDM0YjQzNjVmZDlmNjM5Y2QyYTI1NmJjY2NjYTkyMC5qcGeRlQLNAu7NAXfCww” />
Police officer laid to rest
Both coffins were escorted by Senior Police Officers in a procession and a final gun salute at the cemetery to honor the late officer.
Colleagues of the late police officer described him as hardworking and a committed member of the service.
Senior Police Officers who were present included; Director-General administration, COP Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohunu, Director-General of Legal and Prosecution, COP. Mr. Nathan Kofi Boakye and Director-General, Human Resource Development, COP Mr. Frederick Adu Anim.
<img class=”image lazyloaded imgWithMetaData” src=”data:;base64,” alt=”” width=”790″ height=”592″ data-original=”https://ocdn.eu/pulscms-transforms/1/DewktkpTURBXy9kYzcwYmVjNDM4ZDFkZmVmYzA3ZjVlYWFhNjQ4MDNiZi5qcGeRlQLNAxbNAlDCww” />
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah led other Government appointees to console the bereaved family.
Flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party(NPP), Kennedy Agyapong, and a leading member of the NPP in the Ashanti Region, Chairman Odeneho Kwaku Appiah also led a separate delegation to commensurate with the family.