Police investigate Dr Yankah's death(Page 3) July 9, 2008

Story: Michael Donkor
THE police have begun investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr Hayford De-Graft Yankah, a urologist at the 37 Military Hospital.
Consequently, the police have taken statements from Prof Kwadwo Amoako Attah, Dr Yankah’s friend whom the late urologist called to his residence shortly before his death, and the deceased’s house boy.
A source close to the police said two officers had been detailed to guard Dr Yankah’s house since the incident occurred, while the body of the deceased had been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary for autopsy.
Meanwhile, efforts to get Dr Yankah’s wife who had just returned from the US to comment on husband’s suicide have proved futile.
A family source told the Daily Graphic that Dr Yankah had always complained about how life had treated him unfairly, adding that he had always been comforted that everything would be well.
The source said Dr Yankah had always expressed gratitude to his friend, Prof Attah, for the tremendous assistance he had offered to him in life.
It said the will left by Dr Yankah was addressed to Prof Attah to ensure that it was administered accordingly.
Dr Yankah, a 55-year-old Ghanaian urologist with 30 years’ practical experience in the US, hanged himself in his Adjiriganno home over the weekend, leaving behind a hand-written will and a note to the effect that he had failed to reconcile with life.
Family sources disclosed to the Daily Graphic that moments before hanging himself in that grisly circumstance, Dr Yankah had called a close friend on the phone and invited him to come to his house.
They said the friend received the call about 9.00 a.m. and set off for Dr Yankah’s house, but while he was on his way, Dr Yankah called him again at 9.30 a.m. to find out where he had reached.
According to the sources, the friend replied that he was close to the house and eventually got there about 10.00 a.m., by which time Dr Yankah had asked his house boy to stand at the gate and open the gate for his friend to come in.
They said when the friend drove in, the main entrance to Dr Yankah’s hall was locked up and several knocks at the door, including calls to his phone for him to open the door, did not yield any results.
The source said the door was later forced open by the friend, who was greeted with the shocking spectacle of Dr Yankah’s body hanging on a computer cable wire tied around his neck.