THE TEMA Regional Police Command, after over a year’s hunt for the serial killers who had subjected most residents of the Tema Metropolis to fear and panic, have finally apprehended one of the suspected killers at Ashaiman, near Tema.

Ernest Awaya, aka Mustapha Away, a 36-year-old resident of Ashaiman, went to Tutulane, a suburb of Ashaiman—noted as the den of prostitutes and hardened criminals. At the time of his arrest, he was said to be seriously on drugs and about to have sex with his prostitute girlfriend, though he is married with a child.

Awaya, who allegedly doubles as a land guard, was described as a slayer, very slippery, dangerous and involved in several robbery cases under investigations. He allegedly gave the police a tough time during his arrest after weeks of surveillance mounted on him.

He was said to have confessed to shooting and killing Kofi Quist, a 36-year-old Immigration Officer at Mataheko near Michel Camp in Tema and Davis Ayibah, a 55-year-old businessman based in Spain at Community 4, Tema.

Davis Ayibah reportedly came for a short holiday and was shot and killed in cold blood by suspect Awaya and his accomplice, one Iddrisu Kenkensu, alias Idi, now on the run.

So far, Abraham Oyoko Baah, the alleged killer of Rosemond Nyampong—a banker with Stanbic Bank in Accra—who is facing trial at a Magistrate Court in Tema, has been remanded to reappear on a later date after admitting to the offence in an open court.

It will also be recalled that on Saturday, December 28, 2013, at about 3:00am an Immigration Officer, Kofi Quist Defor, stationed at the Immigration Headquarters, the Issue Department, was shot on the right shoulder and fell unconscious.

His assailants, not satisfied, allegedly used a hoe to continuously smash his head in the presence of his wife and his three-month-old baby, until he passed on.

Soon after that killing, on Tuesday, March 25, 2014, at about 10:30 pm, Samuel Davis Ayibah was also shot in the head, which resulted in the total smashing of his left eye.

Information later gathered at the time indicated that the deceased, who lived at E Road, Community 4, where the incident took place, parked his Toyota Highlander with registration number GT 449-14 outside his house.

At about 10:30 pm, he decided to move the vehicle into his house and that just at the entrance of his gate, two gunmen on a motorbike took advantage of the blackout and fired at him and sped off, resulting in his instant death.

Police investigations into the murder showed that Awaya was the pillion rider and Iddrisu Kenkensu – all armed to the teeth – stormed the residence of Mr Ayibah and succeeded in killing him.

The Regional Command is again seriously hunting for the killers of the Akosombo Branch Manager of Zenith Bank, Mr Kwesi Sakyi Prah, who was also shot and killed at Community 25, Tema.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Beatrice Zaakpa Vib-Sanziri, the Tema Regional Police Commander who assured residents of Tema of the arrest of the serial killers, briefed a section of the media last Monday at Tutulane.

She said Awaya was rounded up by the police when he attempted escaping upon seeing them.

The Regional Commander recalled, “Prior to the death of the two persons, the murder of Rosemond Nyampong, Kofi Quist Defor and Samuel Davis Ayibah, the people of Tema expressed fear through your medium, and the command assured them that the police is not going to rest until the killers are arrested and brought to book, and also will continue to intensify our patrols so that the law abiding people of Tema will go about their duties without fear.”

She cautioned persons who patronise stolen goods to desist from the practice and advised them to report anybody who brings stolen items to them for sale.