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Police hiding DNA report and bones of missing Takoradi girls - Victim's sister

Acting IGP, James Oppong Boanuh Inspector General of Police, David Asante-Apeatu

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 Source: theheraldghana.com

The Police administration is still keeping the report of the DNA investigation it conducted on the four missing Takoradi girls, one clear month after it disclosed details to their families and the general public.

According to three of the families, all effort to obtain even a photocopy of the findings, have proved futile, as the Police in Takoradi in the Western Region, say they are unable to oblige their request.

A sister of Ruthlove Quayeson, however, reveals that after back and forth with the Police, the families have secured a date to meet with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), James Oppong Boanuh, whom the Police say can provide ‘further and better particulars’ in Accra.

“When they came to tell us that the bones were the children, they did not come with any report; it was in the night they came to tell us. We have been going to the Police for at least a photocopy of the report, so that we can look for a doctor for further investigation. We tried without success.

It was just recently that the police said the IGP is the right person to answer the questions we were asking. A meeting was organized between the families and the Police, a date that was agreed by the two parties to come to come to Accra was rescheduled. So, it means that on 24th, God willing, we are going to meet the IGP, as they are saying the children are ours, we are not convinced,” she said.

Kate Quayeson, who spoke to Accra FM’s Bobie Ansah on the ‘Citizen Show’ on Saturday said, the families are expected in Accra this Thursday, October 24, 2019, for the reports and also the remains for further action.

On Monday, September 16, 2019, the then acting IGP, James Oppong Boanuh, confirmed that the results of DNA tests conducted on some human parts exhumed in a house in Takoradi match that of the missing girls.

A statement by the Police said “A few minutes ago, officers of the Ghana Police service informed 4 families in Takoradi in the Western Region of Ghana that DNA test conducted on some human remains discovered into the course of police investigations into the disappearance of four missing girls, have turned positive, as the remains of the girls.

The Ghana Police Service has with regret informed the families that the remains of Ruth Abakah, Priscilla Kuranchie, Ruthlove Quayson, Priscilla Blessing Bentum.”

But Kate said, the families still hold the view that the bones are not their missing family members and so are determined to get to the button of the issue by conducting an independent investigation, to ascertain the veracity of the Police investigation.

Ms Quayeson said it is after their own findings, that they will be able to bury the bones and conduct final funeral rites for the girls if it turns out to be them.

Asked if they still doubt the Police, she said they are unable to trust them wholeheartedly, because of their own actions and events that led to the search and the declaration of the DNA report.

Kate, whose family, has publicly rejected the report, says she does not understand why in the course of the search, the Police showed videos of their activities on television, but when it went for the bones, it did not display them to the family or the public.

She said, till date, no family member, has seen the bones or the report, but they are being told that those are their family members.

She decried the shabby nature of the Police relationship with the family, saying they are being treated in that manner because they are ordinary members of society.

“These bones are not bodies that can easily be determined that this is Ruth or this is Priscilla lying there. Since its bones, it is only fair that we conduct another DNA test so that, if it is confirmed those are the girls, we will accept it and bury the bones.

It is not that we do not trust the Police; we are not saying they kidnapped them, but their actions and what they have put the families and the entire country through makes us not trust them.

When they went into the manhole, it was telecast, but the bones were not shown. Even when our DNA samples were being taken, we asked the doctors, if they have seen the bones, but they said, they have not set their eyes on them. When they finished too, they did not bring the report.

When the IGP came here, he promised us that when they are done with the investigations, they will educate the families, details of the bones and that was why we agreed for the test. All these promises have not been fulfilled. They are treating us like animals or is it because we are nobody in society? It is not right.

This is so simple, you said those are the children, it is our right to get a second opinion because till date we don’t know, where the investigation was done, which doctor, how old the bones are, so many questions have not been answered”.

Media reports said that DNA test that was conducted on the bodies of the Takoradi kidnapped girls, revealed that they were killed by their abductors over nine months ago.

The scientific tests on the bones noted specifically that they had been dead between nine months and a year.

The DNA test which was reportedly conducted at the Spanish Lab in Accra and the United States of America (USA), costs the Police and the nation as much as GH¢300,000.

It came after members of some of the families of the girls insisted that they need an independent DNA result from a foreign firm to convince them.

The new IGP bemoaned the inability of the service to obtain “accurate and actionable intelligence” in “good time”. But he said the arrest of the alleged kidnappers has “effectively” thwarted the ability of the syndicate to continue their murderous spree.

The main suspect, a 28-year-old Nigerian, Samuel Udoetuk Wills, was arrested in the Western region, John Orji was arrested at the Aflao border, while a third suspect, only known as Chika, was arrested in Nigeria.

Source: theheraldghana.com
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