Police here have launched investigations into the death of a final year student at the Tweneboah Kodua Senior High School (SHS) in the Sekyere-Kumawu District of the Ashanti Region.
Edward Duut, 19, allegedly scaled a wall to avoid a routine check by a Prep Master, but landed with his chest on the ground, injuring himself on Monday at about 11pm.
He was said to have jumped the wall with some other colleagues, and later died at the nearby Kumawu Polyclinic after being rushed there by the headmaster with the help of some students.
The students who were expected to be studying in the classrooms run helter-skelter around 8:40pm when they heard the arrival of their teacher, Gideon Osei, also known as ‘Ogidi’.
Sekyere- Kumawu District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Opoku Agyeman Prempeh, confirmed the story, saying no one had been arrested in connection with the death as police have taken statements from teachers in the school.
“Nobody was picked as a suspect. But when we collect statements from them, then what is hidden would be revealed,” DSP Agyemang added.
According to the police, the deceased had just woken up from sleep, and attempted to dodge the teacher but ended up sustaining injuries after jumping.
He said investigations were ongoing to ascertain the cause of death of the General Arts final year student who hailed from Ejura in the Ashanti Region.
But, Mr Larry Duut, father of the deceased, speaking on local radio station here, said “I had distress call from campus at about 11:00pm Monday that my son is seriously injured. The students told me on phone that my son was asleep at the dormitory around the hours of 7:40 and 8.00pm there about when a teacher stormed our room and drove us away.”
He said according to the students, Edward Duut abruptly woke up and unknowingly jumped the third floor of the dormitory and landed on his chest.”
The deceased’s father said, he was surprised that the school authorities told police that “my son was avoiding prep, jumped a wall and hurt himself,” adding that “on that fateful day I had first hand information because I had the privilege to speak to my son on phone before he gave up the ghost.”
Mr Duut questioned the competence of the school authorities because he was of the view his son wouldn’t have died if he was rushed to the hospital on time.
“The students told me on phone that my son’s incident happened around 8:00pm but he was left at the scene for almost four hours so somehow the teachers didn’t play their role well.”
The final year student was supposed to complete his final West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) paper on Thursday, October 7.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
