Accra, May 29, GNA - The Ghana Twins Foundation on Thursday condemned the barbaric murder of nine year-old twins, Benjamin and Joseph Bani at Tsito Awudome in the Volta Region and called for intensification of investigations to bring the perpetrators to justice. "It is very strange and sad to see twins brutally murdered in the past for human sacrifices. Such culture is outmoded and should not be encouraged since we deem it a crime against humanity," Ms Zeena Abou-jaoude, President of the Foundation, stated in a statement to the Ghana News Agency.

She said the callous act was unjustified and unacceptable in the 21st century and appealed to the Ghana Police Service to thoroughly investigate and apprehend all those behind the irresponsible act and bring them to face justice.

The Ghana Twins Foundation, a non-governmental organization dedicated to the welfare of underprivileged twins, said it would continue to work closely with the appropriate agencies in the country in the fight against negative cultural practices of all kinds against twins.

Ms Abou-jaoude said the Foundation was encouraging society to see the beauty in twins and rather encourage them to become assets of the family and nation.

She said twins were a blessing from God and society must therefore appreciate and use their unique qualities for the betterment of society. Ms Abou-jaoude expressed the foundation's condolences to the parents and family in their moment of grief and sorrow.

The Foundation also commended the whistleblower, whose single act of alertness, led to the discovery of the bodies. at Awudome-Tsito, were retrieved from a cesspit tank at the outskirts of the town.

Mr Bernard Dery, Volta Regional Police Commander, told the Ghana News Agency that the police, acting on a tip-off by a caller, recovered the bodies after draining the cesspit. He said the skeletons were found tied with wires to wooden planks. The last time the twins were seen was on January 2 when John Adeku, now in custody, was said to have invited them into the house of one Dan at the outskirts of Tsito.

Adeku and three others have been in custody helping the police in investigations but Dan, said to be the prime suspect, is on the run. Mr Dery said the landlord and caretaker of the house in which the cesspit tank was located had been picked up for questioning.