Five arrested for killing bank official
Five suspects, including a couple and a commercial sex worker, have been arrested in connection with the murder of a Fidelity Bank official at Odorkor Tweneboah in Accra.
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The suspects include David Boafo Daniels, a 36-year-old businessman, his wife, Juliet Korkor Kwaasi, 32, a caterer, and Fati Issah, alias Maame Yaa, a 25-year-old commercial sex worker.
The police gave the names of the rest as Kwesi Nyamekye, alias Rasta Nyame, a 23-year-old beads maker, and Sule Issaka, a 23-year-old undertaker.
Three others whose names have been withheld by the police are currently on the run.
Knife and broken bottle
The bank official, Emmanuel Asante Akuffo, 41, was stabbed many times with a knife and a broken bottle in front of a drinking spot about 7 p.m. on January 11, 2013.
He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where a good Samaritan had rushed him.
The Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr Christian Tetteh Yohunu, told journalists in Accra that Akuffo had sought to rent a three-bedroom apartment for GH¢5,000 from the couple, believed to be the masterminds of the murder.
The couple, according to the police, were caretakers of the house which belonged to Juliet’s deceased brother.
Mr Yohunu said in March 2013, Akuffo paid the GH¢5,000 to the couple but they failed to deliver their side of the contract.
Akuffo was said to have then demanded a refund of his money but the couple failed to pay the money to him.
The attack
The Accra Police Commander said the couple called Mr Akuffo to come to their house for the money on January 11, 2013.
Unknown to the Fidelity Bank worker, the two had hatched a plan to send robbers after him to take the money for them.
After Mr Akuffo had received the money, the commander said, he was attacked about 400 metres away from the couple’shouse by men in a waiting Toyota Rav 4 vehicle, with registration number GT 1379 G.
The attackers, who had laid ambush in front of a drinking spot, suddenly emerged to attack the bank official.
Mr Akuffo was said to have resisted the attackers, a situation which resulted in a struggle.
It was during the struggle that Akuffo was stabbed a number of times with a knife and a broken bottle which the attackers took from the drinking spot.
The attackers, Mr Yohunu said, then bolted with the money.
A cheque for GH¢375 believed to have been issued by the couple to cover the interest on the GH¢5,000 rent advance paid by Akuffo was found in Akuffo’s pocket.
Instructed not to kill
According to the Accra Regional Police Commander, the suspects had admitted that they had been contracted to collect the GH¢5,000 from Akuffo for a fee of GH¢2,000 but had denied that they stabbed the bank official.
The suspects were said to have told the police that the couple had contracted Issaka, who also got in touch with Nyamekye, who in turn recruited the commercial sex worker at the Kokomba Market in Accra to help them contract a person who could undertake the operation.
They told the police that they were instructed not to kill Mr Akuffo but to snatch the money.
Akuffo’s body, Mr Yohunu said, had been deposited at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital morgue awaiting autopsy.
Mr Akuffo left behind a pregnant wife and a three-year-old child.
Three murdered so far
The death of Mr Akuffo brings to three the number of people in the banking industry who have been killed in mysterious circumstances from the latter part of last year.
However, the Accra Regional Police Commander was quick to note that “this is not one of the attacks on bankers which have led to the death of two in the Tema Region”.