By Nelson Manneh
One Alpha Ceesay, an accused in a criminal trial, has died in police custody on 4th October, 2023.
Speaking to Foroyaa, the Acting Police PRO Cadet Modou Musa Sisawo confirmed that the deceased inmate died in the custody of the police station in Banjul while awaiting his scheduled court appearance on October 4, 2023.
“During his custody at the Banjul Police Station, the said inmate collapsed and the police on duties rushed him to the hospital, where he was pronounced death,” Cadet Sisawo explained.
However, he added that he could not confirm whether a postmortem examination is being carried out. Foroyaa would continue to make further inquiry into the matter and inform the readership in subsequent editions.
Luke Jatta, the Public Relation Officer at the Mile Central Prisons had earlier said the deceased Alpha Ceesay collapsed in a holding cell in Banjul after his court appearance and was rushed to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul, where he was pronounced dead.
He dismissed the reports indicating that Alpha Ceesay, collapsed and died in the central prison.
“The said deceased (Alpha Ceesay) is not in our custody and no records has shown that he (the deceased) was remanded at the time of his death, so it is not correct to state that he fell sick and collapsed at the Mile II Prison leading to his death,” he said.
PRO Jatta said the deceased was remanded at Mile II but he (the Deceased) was kept in a holding cell in Banjul after his court appearance. He added that the deceased collapsed in that holding cell in Banjul and was then rushed to the hospital.
Before his demise, the deceased inmate was brought before the Banjul Magistrates Court over conspiracy to commit felony and stealing charges, with his last hearing taking place on October 3, 2023.
