General News of Wednesday, 18 September 2019

Source: ghananewsagency.org

Families of Takoradi kidnapped girls express disappointment at mode of communication

The missing Takoradi girls were declared dead by the Ghana Police Service play videoThe missing Takoradi girls were declared dead by the Ghana Police Service

The Family members of three out of the four Takoradi kidnapped girls have expressed disappointment at the mode of communication on the DNA results and the deaths of the girls.

They said, the police could have been more decorous in announcing the news to the families through proper family meeting and counselling rather than "the seemingly arranged media conference and family meeting at about 7:20 pm Monday evening."

Mr. Michael Hayford Grant, spokesperson for the families at a press conference at Diabene, a suburb of Takoradi, indicated that the results of the DNA test could not be accepted, adding that, the police failed to make the process transparent.

"We have not seen any report apart from a verbal communication from the police and this is not the initial agreement with the police prior to the DNA test”.

Madam Comfort Arhin, mother of Ruth Love Quayson said “the Police missed out on the emotional intelligence and mishandled the mode of communication on the results”.

"The CID boss once informed me that the girls are around and the government would soon pay the ransom so why this turn of events", she queried.

Mr Francis Bentum, father of Priscilla Blessing Bentum doubted the credibility of the results adding, “once they missed out on the traditional means of communicating such news, they have indeed missed out on this issue one more time".

“You can imagine someone comes to inform you at about 7:30pm that your child is dead, you will not be able to sleep the whole night and that was what happened to me and my wife on Monday”, he added.

Meanwhile, a family source also confirmed the call from the Presidency to commiserate with the family on the demise of the girls, which the families objected to.

On the other hand, the family of Priscilla Mantebea Koranchie have accepted the outcome of the DNA report and initiated plans for a family gathering to decide the next line of action for their beloved daughter.

It would be recalled that when the key suspect in the case, Samuel Udoetuk Wills was rearrested after his cell break, the dress of Manteabea Koranchie was found in the uncompleted building in which the suspect was hiding.

Phillip Osei Koranchie, elder brother of Priscilla Koranchie said despite the disturbing nature of the results, the family would continue to rely on God for the necessary emotional and physical support.