Music of Saturday, 16 September 2006

Source: ghanamusic.com

Mzbel's Brother Speaks Out

Ato Amoah, step brother of Mzbel, the popular Hiplife musician, has denied complicity in the assault on his sister by armed robbers at her New Gbawe residence on Tuesday.

"I cannot think of any reason to send people to harm my sister. I am greatly surprised," he said at the Odorkor Police Station.

In the early hours of Tuesday, three armed men stormed the New Gbawe residence of Mzbel (real name Nana Ekua Amoah) and robbed her of various items and monies. They were also said to have allegedly sexually assaulted her and one of the two female friends with her.

Ato Amoah, 32, a computer engineer, was arrested on suspicion of master minding the raid when Mzbel told the police that one of the robbers claimed they were sent by him. Amoah who was visibly disturbed, declared that he is innocent of the allegation.

Amoah, who lives at Mallam not too far from Mzbel�s residence, said he had a good relationship with his half sister and could not have thought of doing such a thing to her.

"I am close to her; I got even closer to her after the KNUST incident to ensure that she was always safe".

He said that he was the one who assisted her to rent her present apartment and he had been frequenting the house. He had even accompanied her to some of her performances.

Amoah said he last visited the house at about 6.30 pm on Sunday but was told that she was in bed because she had just returned from Liberia and was tired. After spending about an hour interacting with her female friend and some children in the house, he left.

Amoah said he did not see Mzbel again until about 3 am on Tuesday when he was arrested by the police for allegedly being behind an attack on her.

"I was totally shocked", he said, expressing his sympathies to his sister and the other victims for the ordeal they went through. Amoah said he would not blame Mzbel for his arrest because the robbers created the impression that he was involved.

He however added that the incident will affect his relationship with his sister.

"I am so devastated that I don't think I ever want to draw close to her," he said.

Meanwhile Superintendent Pious Joseph Kesseh, Odorkor Police Commander, said that the police have intensified investigations into the case.

He said Amoah was granted bail because preliminary investigations did not implicate him, adding that the robbers might have mentioned his name to the victims just to give him trouble.