Crime & Punishment of Wednesday, 6 February 2008

Source: GNA

Suhum Residents appeal to IGP to investigate recent killings

Suhum, Feb. 6, GNA- Members of the Suhum Bungalows Welfare Association has appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to institute immediate investigations into the recent murders in the area. Making the appeal at the annual general meeting of the association, its Chairman, Mr E. K. Martey said if immediate measures were not taken to arrest the culprits the whole Suhum township would be thrown into jeopardy.

According to Mr Martey, four people including a nine-year-old girl have so far been murdered at Suhum within the last two months. He said in December last year, a 51-year-old watchman, Musah Benoabo of the Suhum Presbyterian Senior High School was found dead in a pool of blood with a cement block beside him believed to have been used to kill him.

Mr Martey said early January this year, another watchman, a 62-year-old Musah Gruma of Co-Willie Trading Enterprise was found dead at the entrance of the store in a pool of blood with his legs put in a cocoa sack with cement blocks beside it. He said on January 21, this year, a nine year old pupil of Suhum Islamic Primary School, Afua Dansua was murdered on a cocoa farm and the body dumped at the outskirts of the Suhum-Adarkwa road.

Mr Martey explained that the deceased who lived with the grandmother at Suhum Gariba Zongo was sent to buy matches at a nearby store but never returned.

He said early this month, another watchman, 63-year-old Siabu Kotokoli of Royal commodities, a private licensed cocoa buying company was found dead in a pool of blood with a cement block beside the body. He said no arrest had so far been made by the police and that fear has griped the people of Suhum and its surrounding areas, especially among school children.

Reacting to the story, the Kibi Divisional Commander of Police, who has jurisdiction over Suhum area, Mr Owuredu Nkansa assured the people of Suhum and its environs that the police was monitoring the situation and had taken several measures to contain the situation. He appealed to people in Suhum and the surrounding communities to co-operate with the police to arrest the culprits by volunteering information to them.

Mr Nkansa advised watchmen in the Suhum area to desist from taken alcoholic beverages when on duty to enable them keep awake throughout the night to help in arresting the murderers. Present at the interaction was the Eastern Regional Commander of Police, Mr Felix Asare-Darko and his Deputy, Rev. Ampah Benning and the Regional Crime Officer, Ms Anyonam Apasu.