Conflicting accounts emerge over Sakumono double murder

…..As Atubiga family disputes police version; gunman’s medical condition revealed

Conflicting accounts have emerged over the gruesome murder of a 57-year-old man and his 47-year-old niece at Sakumono in Accra, with fresh information picked up by The Herald, suggesting that a disputed loan, which allegedly accumulated interest exceeding GH¢1 million, may have been at the centre of the tragedy.

While the Ghana Police Service has attributed the double murder to a disagreement over an unpaid GH¢500,000 loan allegedly contracted by the deceased man, George Atubiga, other accounts suggest that the money was rather borrowed by his niece, Irene, with her uncle acting as guarantor.

However, a third account, presented by a family member, Stephen Atubiga, who is also the leader of the National Liberation Congress (NLC), has challenged both versions, insisting that the deceased uncle did not owe the suspected killer any GH¢500,000.

Instead, Atubiga claims that George and the suspected gunman, identified by police as Samuel Christopher Osei Anto, were business partners operating a money-lending venture, which had encountered difficulties recovering loans from clients, including some family members.

The conflicting narratives have raised questions about the precise circumstances surrounding the killings, the nature of the financial relationship between the deceased and the suspect, and what transpired during the meeting that ended in the deaths of the two relatives.

The Herald has gathered from sources familiar with the matter that the suspect, variously referred to as Christian and Christopher, is reportedly a seaman who has undergone a kidney transplant and requires money for medical treatment.

According to one account, Irene had contracted a loan of GH¢500,000 from the suspect, with her uncle, George, allegedly guaranteeing repayment.

The amount is said to have increased to more than GH¢1 million following the accumulation of interest.

Police sources claimed that the suspect had repeatedly demanded repayment because of his medical condition and the financial burden associated with his treatment. However, rather than settling the debt, Irene allegedly engaged a lawyer to question whether the suspect was legally licensed to operate a money-lending business.

According to the police sources who spoke to The Herald, the challenge to the suspect’s legal authority to grant loans reportedly infuriated Christopher, contributing to the confrontation that allegedly resulted in the fatal shootings.

There are also claims that the suspect, who reportedly remains in hiding, had become increasingly desperate because of his health challenges and his need to recover the money.

Some individuals familiar with the dispute have suggested that his medical condition may have influenced his state of mind.

Interestingly, Stephen Atubiga, who identified the deceased as his uncle and sister, has publicly rejected the suggestion that George personally owed the suspect GH¢500,000.

In a statement posted on Facebook yesterday, Sunday, 1 November 2026, on behalf of the Atubiga family, he appealed to the public and the media to exercise restraint in discussing the circumstances of the murders.

He also disclosed that he had personally intervened in the financial disagreements between the parties for approximately seven months before the killings.

“For the record, George Atubiga does not owe Christopher any GHS 500,000 as is being falsely circulated,” he stated.

“George Atubiga and Christopher are business partners running a money lending business together, with George Atubiga being in charge of operations, disbursement of funds and recovery.”

According to him, the financial difficulties arose from the business partners’ inability to recover loans advanced to customers, including individuals with family connections.

He explained that the suspect and his wife had approached him several months earlier to seek his intervention in resolving the disagreements.

“I have been managing their differences for the past seven months, when Christian and his wife came to me to complain and seek my intervention of bad loans,” he disclosed.

“Their main difficulty was not being able to recover monies given to their clients, as some are direct and indirect family members.”

Atubiga claimed that the parties had agreed on a roadmap to resolve their differences, including arrangements for the recovery of outstanding loans.

He said he had personally undertaken to repay money owed by one family member to prevent further harassment by the suspect. He did not mention the name of the said member of the Atubiga family, who owed Christopher, whom he referred to in the post as Christian.

“I voluntarily stepped in and agreed to pay Christian back on behalf of a family member who was having difficulty paying him back at a point. Especially calling back the principal,” he explained.

He further disclosed that the suspect was expected to collect a cheque from him as part of efforts to resolve the financial disagreement.

“Christian was supposed to come and pick up a cheque from me, to stop harassing my said family member, not George Atubiga,” he stated.

The politician did not disclose the amount involved in the proposed cheque or identify the family member whose debt he had agreed to settle.

Atubiga’s statement also revealed that the dispute had extended beyond financial disagreements to include personal and marital difficulties involving the suspect.

He claimed that he had frequently intervened in matters involving Christian, including disputes that had attracted police attention.

According to him, the suspect sometimes telephoned him late at night in emotional distress, seeking advice and assistance.

“Besides helping Christian handle his personal issues with others at the police stations anytime he called on me for intervention, he listens to me when he is in distress, calling me at midnight sometimes, weeping and expressing his pains,” he recounted.

He also alleged that the suspect had complained about a Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officer who was reportedly sending messages to his wife.

Atubiga said Christian had expressed dissatisfaction with his failure to respond to the complaint.

The family representative further alleged that the suspect’s wife had sought his intervention about two weeks before the killings over difficulties in their marriage.

He claimed that he had advised the woman to temporarily separate from her husband because of alleged physical abuse.

“I also directed his wife to take a break from their abusive relationship until further notice, as she ran to me for help two weeks ago,” he said.

He described Christopher as ordinarily quiet and pleasant but also temperamental and emotional.

“Christian is a very nice, quiet man, but very temperamental and emotional,” he stated.

Atubiga claimed that he had warned the suspect against physically assaulting his wife and threatened to report him to the police if the alleged conduct continued.

Perhaps the most revealing aspect of Atubiga’s account concerns the circumstances under which the fatal meeting was arranged.

He claimed that he had expressly instructed the parties not to hold further meetings without his knowledge because of the deteriorating relationship between them.

According to him, all discussions concerning the financial disagreements were supposed to be channelled through him.

“The meeting that led to Christian murdering my sister and uncle was held behind my back, and was not supposed to have taken place,” he stated.

“My instruction to all parties has always been: no more meetings amongst yourselves. Any of them should talk through me.”

He disclosed that he had repeatedly warned Irene against attending meetings involving Christian without his approval.

“I always told my sister Irene, if there is any invitation anywhere for a meeting related to Christian, don’t go, and tell them that your big brother says no, they should call me,” he explained.

“Sometimes I will tell them she is not coming and they should talk to her lawyer.”

Atubiga said he was therefore shocked to discover that the parties had arranged another meeting without informing him.

His account of the events on the morning of the killings also differs significantly from the version contained in the official police statement.

While the police indicated that the suspect and a woman identified as Beatrice Mumuni had visited George’s residence at NTHC Estate, Sakumono, Atubiga claimed that the suspect and his wife first picked up George before proceeding to Irene’s house.

“On that tragic day, Christian and his wife Beatrice drove to Uncle George Atubiga’s house in the morning, picked Uncle George up in their car to have a meeting with my sister Irene Atubiga at her house, where the incident happened,” he disclosed.

He further alleged that the suspect had concealed a firearm in his underwear before the meeting.

According to him, this information was subsequently provided by the suspect’s wife.

” Christian had hidden a gun under his underwear, without the knowledge of everyone, the wife told me,” he claimed.

Atubiga interpreted the alleged concealment of the weapon as evidence that the killings had been planned.

However, the police have not publicly confirmed whether the firearm was concealed before the meeting or whether investigators have established evidence of premeditation.

Atubiga also disclosed that he first learnt of the tragedy through a telephone call from the suspect’s wife, who reportedly witnessed or became aware of the shootings.

He said Beatrice telephoned him in distress, informing him that her husband had shot both George and Irene.

“Until Christian’s wife called me that morning crying that her husband had just shot my Uncle George and my sister Irene, and that I should please come over,” he recounted.

“I never believed they would meet without informing me.”

The revelation raises further questions about the woman’s account of the incident and whether investigators have obtained a formal statement from her.

The police have not disclosed her status in the investigation or whether she has provided information about the suspect’s movements after the shootings.

Meanwhile, the Accra Regional Police Command, in its official statement dated Friday, 30 October 2026, identified the deceased as George Atuguba, 57, and Irene Atuguba, 47.

The statement, signed by the Head of Public Affairs, Chief Superintendent Juliana Obeng, identified the suspect as Samuel Christopher Osei Anto.

According to the police, preliminary investigations established that George had allegedly borrowed GH¢500,000 from the suspect but failed to repay the amount.

The police said the suspect subsequently visited the deceased’s residence with Beatrice Mumuni to demand repayment.

A misunderstanding allegedly ensued during the encounter, resulting in the shooting of George and his niece.

Officers from the Sakumono District Police Command were dispatched to the scene after receiving information about the incident.

Upon arrival, they discovered the two victims lying in a pool of blood.

The victims were rushed to hospital, where they were pronounced dead by a medical officer.

Their bodies were subsequently deposited at the Police Hospital Mortuary for preservation and autopsy.

The Baastona Divisional Police Command is investigating the double murder.

However, the official statement did not mention any accumulated interest that had increased the alleged debt to more than GH¢1 million, nor did it indicate that Irene was the principal borrower.

It also did not address the alleged business partnership between George and the suspect, as claimed by Stephen Atubiga.

Another discrepancy concerns the spelling of the victims’ surname.

While the police identified the deceased as George Atuguba and Irene Atuguba, Stephen Atubiga referred to them as George Atubiga and Irene Atubiga.

The family statement also referred to the suspect as Christopher or Christian, although the police provided the fuller name Samuel Christopher Osei Anto.

It remains unclear whether the differences in the names reflect spelling errors or other discrepancies requiring clarification.

Despite the tragedy, Stephen Atubiga has appealed directly to the suspected gunman to surrender peacefully to the police.

He offered to personally assist in arranging the suspect’s safe handover to law enforcement officers.

“I am pleading with you Christian to be a man and turn himself in to the police, in his own interest, before the police get him from his hideout,” he stated.

“You can call me to come get you to police, or call to show your location. I promise to lead the police to come pick you up safely to the station alive, for your day in court, Christian.”

Atubiga also expressed appreciation to sympathizers who had supported the bereaved family following the killings.

“As the Atubiga family, we are grateful to all sympathizers and those standing with us during this difficult time,” he said.

He urged the media and members of the public to avoid spreading unverified information about the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

“For now, I am pleading with the public and the media to stop talking about what they don’t have full facts on,” he appealed.

The Accra Regional Police Command has meanwhile assured the public that efforts are continuing to locate and apprehend the suspect.

“The Accra Regional Police Command assures the public that every effort is being made to apprehend the suspect and bring him to justice,” the police statement said.

“Members of the public with relevant information are encouraged to assist the Police with their investigations.”

The conflicting accounts now leave several questions unanswered, particularly who originally contracted the loan, whether the disputed amount had accumulated interest exceeding GH¢1 million, the nature of the business relationship between the deceased and the suspect, and whether the fatal encounter was arranged despite earlier warnings against further meetings.

The police have yet to publicly reconcile these competing accounts or establish the precise sequence of events leading to the deaths of George and Irene.

As investigations continue, the family is demanding restraint in public commentary while calling for the suspected gunman to be brought before the law to answer for the killings.