Government Hospital Detains Corpse

The body of Kofi Ampah, 48-year-old farmer, from Apedwa, is still lying at the Suhum Government Hospital mortuary. This is because the family of Ampah, who died one-and-half years ago at a fetish shrine at Suhum, could not pay the mortuary fees. Baffour Charles Adjire, acting Odikro of Apedwa, who disclosed this to Ghana News Agency, appealed to authorities of the hospital to release the body to the family for burial. According to the Odikro, the deceased, fell sick and was sent to a number of hospitals in the country but he did not recover. Baffour Adjire said Ampah was sent to a fetish priest for herbal treatment but he died on August 4 2008, and was deposited at the hospital mortuary. He explained that due to financial constraints the family was not able to pay the mortuary fees and the corpse had since been "detained".