Crime & Punishment of Friday, 26 April 2013

Source: Daily Guide

Japanese shot dead

A Japanese man has been shot at Tesano, a suburb of Accra, by unidentified gunmen suspected to be armed robbers.

The deceased, indentified as Jimmy Banson, was shot in the head leading to his death.

Jimmy Banson, who is about 50 years old, is believed to have been attacked at a spot behind the Tesano Police Training School and near Adissa Wakye Base, after withdrawing money from a bank.

Chief Superintendent Francis Aboagye Nyarko, Commander of the Tesano Police Division, who confirmed the incident to DAILY GUIDE, noted that it happened between 10 and 11am on the April 3.

He stated that the victim was riding a Honda motor bicycle when he was attacked by two people, who were also ridding an unregistered motorbike.

The police said information gathered indicated that the pillion, who was seated behind the rider, was the one who allegedly shot the victim.

The bullet went through the helmet the victim was wearing and hit the upper part of the forehead.

According to the police Commander, the robbers also took backpack.

The Tesano Division Police Commander said some good Samaritans rushed the victim to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival at the Emergency Unit.

The police, after receiving information of the incident, visited the crime scene and retrieved the motor bike of the victim and an amount of GH¢700 in one of the compartments of the bike.

A follow up by the crime scene investigation team indicated that the Japanese was an investor, but his length of stay in Ghana could not be ascertained and he lived with his pet dog in a container at Agbogba near North Legon.

One Ghanaian lady, whose name was only given as Edna, was identified as the girlfriend whilst another Dora Odoi, who owned the container used as a home by the victim, have all given their statements to the Police.

The body of the deceased is still at the Korle-Bu morgue and the police say they have been frequenting the place to ensure that the body was intact.

To ascertain the true ownership of the motorbike of the victim, which was picked from the crime scene, the police have written to the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA).

Chief Superintendent Nyarko stated that the Police had written formally to the Japanese Embassy through the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for detailed information on the deceased.

“We are still awaiting the response from the Japanese Embassy,” said Tesano Division Commander, who indicated that investigations were still ongoing to bring the perpetrators to book.

He, however, appealed to the public with information to come forward, as it was proving difficult to get information from residents and eyewitnesses.

“Even the people who conveyed the victim to the hospital did not leave any contact and they have refused to come up.

So far, the information we have is just what we have extracted from people because we were not at the scene when the crime occurred.”