Two persons in police grip over GPHA manager

Two persons linked to the murder of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority(GPHA) manager are in the grip of the police.

The latest development in connection with the murder case of the late Madam Josephine Asante Tandoh, a senior staff member of GPHA is that two prime suspects are in the grip of the police. The suspects, Richard Kwabena Kwakye, alias Kwabena Boateng, a 37-year-old former GPHA driver, and Dominic Owusu, a 51-year-old taxi driver, were apprehended after fleeing to Burkina Faso following the incident on January 13, 2019.

Information indicates that the suspects laid ambush for the victim around her residence at block E of EMEF Estate on the Afienya road where she resided together with her husband and their 12-year son.

The victim was said to have attended a get-together party organized by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority at the senior staff clubhouse in Tema Community 6 and while returning home, she was followed by the suspects into her compound.

The two suspects managed to enter her apartment before stabbing and strangling her to death.

At about 03:30 am that Sunday, the house boy and the deceased’s son heard some unusual sounds on the compound and therefore conducted a search but did not find anything.

They, therefore, retired to bed.

However, the house boy claimed he saw a male figure wearing a black t-shirt and jeans running through the living room and escaping through the main gate.

At about 08:30 am on Sunday, January 13, 2019, the house boy who was later arrested and the son tried opening Mrs Asante’s door but found it locked and therefore called the driver.

The driver of the victim, according to the police, found the keys to the house at the entrance of the gate when he went there upon receiving the call.

He used the same to open the deceased’s door only to find her in a pool of her blood. Investigators who were assigned to the case after the complaint was lodged, collected semen found in her, fingerprints, and other evidence at the scene.

Richard Kwabena Kwakye has since confessed to the crime and named Dominic Owusu as his accomplice, but the latter has denied any involvement.

Investigations are ongoing to determine the motive behind the murder, leaving GPHA stunned and saddened by the loss of one of their valuable employees, the Marketing and Public Relations Manager of the Authority.

This new development in the matter which has traveled over 3 years, is said to have a link with a top hierarchy of the company as the prime suspect purportedly mentioned.

Meanwhile, the new suspects have been arraigned and remanded by a Tema District Court to assist with further investigations as police press on to ascertain the rationale behind the heinous crime.

They have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder contrary to sections 23(1) and 40 of the criminal offenses act 1960 (Act 29) and murder contrary to section 46 of the criminal offenses act 1960 (Act 29).

This comes after the two persons who were earlier standing trial when the incident occurred were discharged by the court.

When the case was called on Monday, the Prosecution informed the Tema District Court that they were withdrawing the charges leveled against the previously accused persons based on advice from the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

According to the prosecution, the Court should, therefore, discharge the accused persons, namely Christian Agyei, 22, House boy, and Amos Apraku, driver of the deceased who were facing committal proceedings.

While the accused persons were leaving the courtroom, the Police on the other hand took positions at the court premises and escorted the accused persons into a waiting vehicle to the Police headquarters.