Bereaved family petitions IGP over suspected murder

Nkoranza (B/A), July 9, GNA - The family of a farmer, who was suspected to have been murdered at Senya in Nkoranza district, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, alleging that the police were reluctant to prosecute the murder suspect.

Mr James Kudom, alias Kwame Amo, spokesman for the deceased's family, told the Ghana News Agency that the deceased, Kofi Nyarko, was allegedly murdered by a pig farmer in March 2005 but the police had refused to send the case to court.

He said the suspect, one Kwadwo Agyapong, was granted police enquiry bail three weeks after the incident but he had since not been sent to court again.

Mr Kudom said stray pigs belonging to the suspect consumed maize stored in a barn by his late brother who out of frustration shot and killed one of the animals.

He said Agyapong approached the deceased, fuming with anger and threatened to "pay him back in his own coin" for killing the pig. He said on March 27, 2005, the deceased left home to hunt for guinea fowls but never returned and a search party organized by the chief and elders in the area later discovered his body lying in a pool of blood in the bush.

Mr Kudom said after initial investigations by the police, followed by a post mortem, the body was released to the family for burial. He said two days later, Agyapong surrendered to the police at Nkoranza and confessed that he had caused the death of Nyarko. The spokesman said the police placed him in custody for three weeks and later granted him bail in the sum of 50 million cedis while his family was made to prepare a report on the incident. "The police gave the assurance that the suspect would be put before court within the shortest possible time but we have waited for two years now without any action whilst the suspect walks freely in town boasting as the bravest man in the area," Mr Kudom added.