Frustration and depression, seem to be taking the better part of some officer of the Ghana Police Service, forcing them to be turning the weapons they are to use to protect people with, on themselves.
So far, three officers have committed suicide with one declaring he was fed up with the world.
It is not clear, if the top hierarchy of the service, have put in place any guidance and counselling mechanisms for the officers and men of the service.
Some of them had in recent times, taken issues with the government keeping retired senior officers in active service and promoting them, although they had retired and were supposed to go home. They argued that this has stifled the careers of many junior officers.
The latest policeman to kill himself is a 50-year old officer with Ashaiman Court Unit, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Divine Yao Asiam.
He shot himself in his residence at Tema Community 18, Bortiman but did not die immediately.
According to media reports, DSP Asiam, passed on at the Police Hospital in the early hours of Valentine’s day.
Earlier this month a Police Constable with the National Protection Unit, Eugene Yelnona, was found dead at his duty post.
He allegedly shot himself while on guard duties at Ridge in Accra.
Similarly, the Police Commander for Half Assini in the Western Region, Superintendent Cyprian Zenge, allegedly shot himself dead in the latter part of January.
Another police officer died by suicide at Ridge in Accra after he allegedly shot himself.
Constable Yelnona Eugene of the National Protection Unit (NPU) was on duty when the incident allegedly occurred.
He was part of a team providing security at the residence of a Togolese opposition leader, Gilcrest Olympio, who is resident in Ghana.
Pictures showed he had shot himself in the washroom of the togolese opposition leader on the dawn of Monday, February 1, 2021.
The deceased had allegedly been denied a leave extension to seek medical attention by his superiors, indicating that he had not been well for some time.
According to the source who spoke to Graphic Online, Constable Yelnona resumed from his leave on Friday, January 29, 2021, and requested for an extension of the leave to enable him to continue with his medication and treatment at home, but was allegedly denied.
News of the incident came barely 48 hours after the Half Assini District Policemen Commander, Superintendent of Police, Mr Cyprian Zenge, reportedly shot himself in his house with his sidearm on January 30.
A note that reads, “I am fed up in this world,” was found close to him.
The Western Regional Police Command, indicated that the note which appeared to have been written by Mr Zenge was found by members of the Regional Crime Scene Team who visited the scene.
The Regional Command, said they were investigating the matter.
The Public Relations Officer of the Western Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Ms. Olivia Adiku, confirmed the news saying “the Regional Crime Scene Team has already visited the scene, where he was found sitting in a blue chair with gunshot wound on his forehead, with his pistol beside him on the floor and one spent ammunition under the chair,” a statement from the Regional Police Command announced.
“Although preliminary investigation points to suicide, the investigation is opened to unravel the true circumstances leading to the death of the Officer.
“The death has been communicated to the officer’s family,” the command added in the statement.
The remains of Supt. Zenge was transported for preservation at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, pending further investigations.
The Late Supt Zenge was posted to the area in early 2017.
He was from Nandom in the Upper West Region and died at age 57.
