I never slept with prostitute – Bede cries

A former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has claimed that he is not the former minister who allegedly solicited the services of a lady believed to be a prostitute and ended up losing his Ford 4×4 vehicle in Accra.

Even though DAILY GUIDE’s publication of Thursday, October 15, 2015 did not disclose the name of the said Minister, Bede Ziedeng, who is currently a deputy director of elections for the NDC and former Northern Regional Minister, has written a rejoinder seeking to set the records straight.

Mr. Ziedeng, who is reportedly lacing his boots to contest the Lawra seat on the ticket of the NDC, wrote and signed the rejoinder dated October 17.

“I wish to state that I am not the said former Northern Regional Minister,” he insisted, adding, “Indeed, I have never owned or even used a Ford 4×4 vehicle, neither have I ever slept in a hotel at Pig Farm, Accra, in which the incident took place.

“My attention has been drawn to a publication in your esteemed newspaper of October 15, 2015 edition with the caption: ‘Prostitute robs minister in hotel.”In the said publication, it was alleged that a former Northern Regional Minister solicited the services of a lady believed to be a prostitute, and ended up losing his Ford 4×4 vehicle in Accra.

I hope you will give this rejoinder the same prominence you gave your earlier publication.”

Initial Publication

In the initial publication, DAILY GUIDE had stated that the former minister (name withheld) allegedly took the lady to a hotel at Pig Farm, an Accra suburb, where she identified herself as Abigail Asiedu and stole the vehicle with the help of her boyfriend, identified as Bashiru Ishmael, who is currently at large.

Police reports indicated that Abigail, who targets high-profile personalities, had used this modus operandi to steal more than eight vehicles from her clients.

Purportedly operating together with Bashiru Ishmael and Nuhu Adams – also at large – Abigail reportedly changes the vehicles’ number plates before selling them.

All the stolen vehicles had since been retrieved by the police, with the exception of one.

Information gathered at the hotel indicated that the former minister checked in with Abigail that fateful day and after some rounds of sexual affairs, the two decided to relax for some time before leaving the place.

Upon realising that her client was tired and deeply asleep, Abigail allegedly sneaked out of the room with the keys of the vehicle and together with Bashiru Ishmael, she allegedly drove the vehicle from the compound.

The former minister, who later discovered that the lady was not in the room, became suspicious and immediately went out to look for her only to realise that his vehicle was not parked at where it was.

A report was lodged with the police immediately.

DCOP Christian Tetteh Yohunu, the Accra Regional Police Commander, who briefed the media, said Abigail met the client on social media and on August 30, 2015 they met at Pig Farm, where they decided to go to a nearby hotel to relax.

Abigail and Bashiru Ishmael, DCOP Yohunu asserted, had earlier been arrested by the Baatsona, Sakumono and Dahwenya police this year for using the same method to snatch a Honda Civic CRV, Toyota Corolla and a Toyota Camry from some people.

All the vehicles had been retrieved except the Toyota Camry with registration number GT-694-10.

Police report also indicated that Abigail, whose real name is Habiba Abubakar, uses multiple names to swindle her targets.

The regional commander narrated that Abigail sometimes uses Abigail Fatimatu Adamu to operate.

During police interrogation, Abigail reportedly confessed that she conspired with her boyfriend, Ishmael Bashiru, to steal the vehicle but when Ishmael got wind of her arrest, he went into hiding.

Abigail again mentioned Nuhu Adams as the receiver of the stolen vehicles, and led the police to his house at Ashaiman but he was absent. When contacted on phone, he abandoned the stolen vehicle on the Tema Motorway and fled, according to the police officer.

Efforts are underway to arrest them.