Truck pusher confesses that kitchen knife used in La murder cased

Accra, Sept. 19, GNA - A truck pusher who has been accused of murdering his girlfriend at La in Accra in bizarre circumstances has confessed that a kitchen knife was used in the murder. Nii Agoe Nanyo Tsuru, however, said he did not use the knife himself in the murder of Barikisu Jumah Ayittah, a 45-year-old rice water seller, police told the GNA on Tuesday. Rather, he said, it was Gifty Tsotsoo Ashie, the alleged rival of the slain woman, who used the knife.

Tsotsoo who has since surrendered to the police was on Monday remanded by the La District Magistrate Court on a provisional charge of murder. Her plea was not taken.

Speaking to the GNA, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Adane-Ameyaw Nyamekye, La District Commander, said police had retrieved the knife from Tsuru's room.

ASP Adane-Ameyaw said Tsuru had told the police that he took the knife from Tsotsoo and hid it in his room. Tsuru had earlier said he used a coal pot and plate in severing the head of Barikisu.

ASP Nyamekye said the police did not come across the said plate in Tsuru's room but found the knife.

Meanwhile five persons have been arrested by police for questioning in connection with the murder.

Relatives of Barikisu on Monday went for her body at the Korle-Teaching Hospital Mortuary for burial at Ningo. Tsotoo's Counsel, Mr F. Kojo-Smith denied that his client killed Barikisu.

He told the GNA that Tsotsoo had told him that she did not know Barikisu and had not quarrelled with her. She said it was his 17-year-old son who informed her about the murder. Mr Kojo-Smith said on that fateful day, Tsotsoo was in her house at La when Tsuru and his two friends came to buy gin at her bar at about 1400 hours and they spent some time at the bar.

He said Tsotoo and Tsuru had been in a relationship but they had broken up a year earlier because Tsuru's relatives did not like her. She therefore stopped going to Tsuru's house after the break-up. Mr Kojo-Smith said Tsuru called Tsotsoo on her cell phone about three times to come to his house for some important discussions but she did not go there.

He said at about 1900 hours a friend of Tsotsoo came to inform her that Tsuru wanted to see her urgently. Tsotsoo was reluctant to go the house but her friend convinced her to go.

Mr Kojo-Smith said on reaching Tsuru's house, Tsotsoo saw him wearing a pair of shorts and looking agitated. While asking Tsuru why he had invited her, Tsuru's brother, known as Oko, asked him what he had done but there was no response from anyone.

Mr Kojo-Smith said Tsotoo left Tsuru's house. At about 2300 hours, she heard shouts and when she asked her 17-year-old son why people were shouting, he told her that Tsuru had killed her wife.