A Fulani herdsman arrested for murdering his kraal owner

A Fulani herdsman, suspected of murdering owner of the kraal he was in charge of at Dabala Junction in the South Tongue District of the Volta Region, has been arrested by the police.

The suspect, Bubey Umaru, aged 38, is believed to have killed his master, slitting his throat, to seal off investigations into the whereabouts of one cattle he Umaru, could not account for.

The deceased was named as James Eglo Akpalu, aged 54.

Mr. Prince Dogbatse, a Police Corporal, who is the Public Relations Officer (PRO), at the Volta Regional Police Command, told the Ghana News Agency that until his death, the deceased engaged Umaru as caretaker of his cattle near Dabala Junction, where he the deceased resided.

He said sometime early April this year, Umaru reported to the deceased that one of the animals got injured during grazing and therefore could not continue with the entire herd into the kraal.

Mr. Dogbetse said the accused then refused to lead his master to the spot where he claimed to have left the said animal.

He said about noon of April 12, this year, the deceased visited the kraal but did not find the suspect, and reaching him out on his phone, the suspect pleaded with the deceased to go and come back to the kraal later that evening.

Mr. Dogbatse said Akpalu left for the kraal at the appointed time but failed to return where his family got alarmed.

He said the Assembly Member of Dabala Junction area, Mr. Cephas Aguadze, organised a search party, leading to the discovery of Akpalu's body in a pool of blood in a bush, with his throat cut open.

According to Mr. Dogbatse, the suspect, upon his arrest, denied any knowledge about his master's murder.

He said it was however revealed that Umaru rather sold the cattle in question to an unsuspecting buyer, name withheld, who is currently assisting police in their investigations.

Mr. Dogbatse said the body of the deceased has since been handed over to the family for burial after autopsy at the Police Hospital in Accra.

Meanwhile Umaru has also since been put before the Magistrate Court at Dabala on a provisional charge of murder.

His plea has not been taken and has been remanded in police custody for further investigations to reappear in court on June 1, this year.