News
George Floyd: Black man dies after US police brutality
A Black man who yelled “I cannot breathe” as a white Minneapolis police officer pinned him down with his knee in the US state of Minnesota died late on Monday, police confirmed, drawing outrage from community members and leaders, and leading to the officers’ termination.
Video of the incident shows the police officer pinning down George Floyd, believed to be in his 40s, to the pavement with his knee on the man’s neck for several minutes. Floyd was identified by prominent civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, who said he had been retained by the Floyd family.
Floyd can be heard saying in the video: “Please, please, I cannot breathe.”
The officer tells Floyd to “relax”.
Floyd responds: “I can’t breathe. Please, the knee in my neck.”
The officer continues to hold down Floyd with his knee for several minutes, with Floyd pleading and asking for water.
“My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Please, please. I can’t breathe,” Floyd cries out, while moaning and trying to cough.
Floyd eventually appears motionless under the officer’s knee.
Those who were watching the incident unfold can be heard begging police to move off Floyd.
“He is not moving,” an onlooker can be heard saying. “Get off of his neck.”
It is unclear what happened before and after the video was taken.
Minneapolis Police Chief, Medaria Arradondo said during a news conference on Tuesday that the four officers involved in the incident were now “former employees”.
The city’s mayor, Jacob Frey, confirmed that the officers had been terminated, saying “this is the right decision for our city”.
In a statement earlier on Tuesday, the Minneapolis Police Department said its officers were responding to a “report of a forgery in progress”.
“After [the suspect] got out [of his car], he physically resisted officers,” the statement said. “Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and note he appeared to be suffering medical distress.”
He was then transported to a nearby medical centre where he died a short time later, the department said.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehensive (BCA) said it was “investigating the circumstances surrounding an incident”.
It added that it was sharing information with the FBI, which “is conducting a separate federal civil rights investigation at the request of the Minneapolis Police Department.”
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA NEWS
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) says it has successfully conducted constituency executive elections in 245 out of its 276 constituencies across the country.
The party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, said the exercise recorded an 88.7 per cent success rate and was conducted peacefully in the constituencies where voting took place.
In an update posted on his Facebook page, he said elections in 23 constituencies were put on hold because of various disputes.
He added that four constituencies Ningo Prampram, Atwima Mponua, Obuasi West and Trobu could not hold their elections due to last minute challenges.
According to him, the party’s National Steering Committee will also review election activities in Afigya Sekyere East, Adansi Asokwa, Bantama and Asante Akyem Central.
Mr Frimpong said the National Secretariat is committed to resolving all outstanding issues to ensure the successful completion of the constituency executive elections.
He expressed appreciation to members of the party for their support and discipline throughout the exercise.
“We extend our sincere appreciation to all Patriots for their commitment, discipline, and support, which contributed to the successful conduct of these elections,” he stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Northern Regional Police Command has arrested two Nigerian nationals in connection with the murder of a 36-year-old Nigerian man at Sanzirigu in Tamale.
The suspects, identified as Daniel Victor Eze and David Oko Ewa, were arrested on Saturday, July 11, shortly after the body of Nkemujika Uzorchuku Eze was found in his bedroom.
According to the Police, preliminary investigations showed that the deceased lived in a three-bedroom apartment with his wife, Peace Uzorchuku, the two suspects and another Nigerian national, Godwin Nwafor.
The Police said officers began investigations after receiving a report that the deceased had been found lying in a pool of blood in his room.
A team that visited the scene found that he had suffered a deep cut to the forehead and had a towel stuffed into his mouth. The room had also been ransacked.
The Police said a wooden pestle believed to have been used in the attack, together with other items, was recovered from the scene for forensic examination.
The body was taken to the Tamale Teaching Hospital, where a medical officer confirmed him dead before it was deposited at the hospital mortuary for preservation and an autopsy.
According to the Police, intelligence-led operations led to the arrest of the two suspects at Tatale on the same day while they were allegedly attempting to escape into the Republic of Togo.
They were later handed over to the Tamale District Criminal Investigations Department to assist with investigations.
The Police said the suspects allegedly admitted during interrogation that they had conspired to kill the deceased because he had been withholding money they claimed was obtained through internet fraud.
A search conducted after their arrest led to the recovery of several items suspected to have been stolen from the deceased’s room, including mobile phones, laptop computers, a tablet, jewellery, clothing, wristwatches, personal documents and other valuables. The Police said the items have been kept as exhibits to support the investigations.
The suspects remain in Police custody and are expected to appear before court on Monday, July 13, to facilitate the ongoing investigations.
The Northern Regional Police Command said it remains committed to bringing everyone involved in the crime to justice and urged the public to provide credible information to help fight crime.
By: Jacob Aggrey
