Ardayman development chief murdered
A development chief of Ardayman, near Amasaman in the Ga West Municipality in the Greater Accra Region, has allegedly been murdered by some unknown persons in his room over what is suspected to be a chieftaincy dispute and land litigation.
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The chief, identified as Nii Tettey Sarbah, is said to have been found dead in a pool of blood, with gunshot and machete wounds on his body.
A number of people who were with him allegedly sustained gunshot wounds, while one person is said to be in critical condition at the 37 Military Hospital.
The Accra Regional Police Command, which has launched investigations into the gruesome murder of the chief, said spent pump action gun shells and AK 47 cartridges were scattered in the chief’s room when the body was first discovered by his family members.
The police have since deposited the body at the Police Hospital morgue, awaiting autopsy.
No arrest has so far been made.
Speculations
Following the chief’s murder at dawn last Friday, there have been speculations over the circumstances surrounding his death.
While some family members insist he was murdered by gun and machete-wielding young men while performing some rituals, along with other traditional leaders, to signify the end of the ban on noise-making in the Ga State, others claim the unknown assailants shot him in his room while he was sleeping.
A brother of the deceased, Samuel Akwetey Otoo, said the deceased was performing some purification rites before the lifting of the ban on noise-making at the Ardayman Stool House to make way for the celebration of Homowo, a festival celebrated in the Ga State, when some youth entered the compound about 1 a.m. and started shooting sporadically.
Some residents of the area claim they heard gunshots around 2 a.m. but did not suspect someone was being killed, as they saw the gunshots as part of the rituals to end the ban on noise-making.
Body found
About 5 a.m. last Friday, some family members told the police that they went to the chief’s room to wake him up only to find him lying in a pool of blood.
The police said reports received indicated that the deceased was lying supine on a mat, with pellets of ammunition scattered in the room.
The Amasaman Police, which received the report on the alleged murder, visited the scene to pick the body to the morgue.
When the body was examined, the police found a deep and wide cut on his forehead, while two cuts were also on his stomach, with blood spilled all over the room.
Police investigations
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mrs Efia Tenge, confirmed the incident to the Daily Graphic.
She said the police received information on the suspected murder of the chief last Friday morning and immediately launched investigations into the incident.
She said preliminary investigations carried out indicated that the assassins shot the victim before butchering him.
Mrs Tenge said four spent AK 47 cartridges and one spent pump action gun shell were retrieved from the room where the deceased was found.
She said the police believed the shooting was done sporadically but was aimed at the victim.
“The police deem it unfortunate and are assuring the public, especially residents of Ardayman, to exercise restraint as the police continue to pursue the perpetrators of the crime through our intelligence-led operations,” she said.
She appealed to residents of the area to provide credible information that would enhance investigations through the police hotline 191 and 18555.
