Police complete investigations into attempted assassination case

Accra, June 2, GNA - The Police say they have completed investigations into the attempted assassination case involving the Chief and Queen Mother of Awoduah in the Wassa West District of the Western Region and the culprits would soon be arraigned.

The Deputy Director of Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Mr Patrick Ampewuah told the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Thursday that the docket had been forwarded to the Attorney - General's Department for the commencement of prosecuting procedures immediately. This was after the GNA had gone to the CID for an update on the case, which had been pending since 2003 and had as a result led to growing tension between the supporters of the Chief and the Queen Mother in Awoduah.

rumours filtered through that the Queen Mother had been set free. Giving the facts when the case first came up at an Accra Circuit Court for the Police to take an adjournment to carry out investigations, Prosecuting Assistance Superintendent of Police (ASP) P. K. Frimpong said in September 2003, Karimu Musah, a Farmer and the third accused, lost the father-in -law at Awoduah and Alhaji Fuseini, a Contractor at Sukura in Accra and the first accused, and Abdulai Musah, a Driver and the second accused, accompanied him to Awoduah.

The Prosecutor said at the funeral, Fuseini and Abdulai Musah had the opportunity to interact with the Queen Mother of Awoduah, Nana Afua Yaadwo, the fourth accused.

He said Nana Yaadwo told them about her plans to physically eliminate the Chief of Awodua, Nana Kwabena Angu because he had been misappropriating royalties, which had been accruing from the stool land. "That, when he is eliminated she and her elders would also enjoy from the royalties," the Prosecutor said.

ASP Frimpong said the Queen Mother exchanged mobile phones numbers with the Abdulai Musah, who promised to get people to do that job. Some time later Fuseini engaged two macho men and together with Karimu Musah and they went to Tarkwa in an attempt to assassinate Nana Angu.

Fuseini led them to Tarkwa and contacted the Queen Mother and Nana Kwasi Ansah, an Environmental Officer and Odikro of Brahabebume, near Awoduah, the fifth accused, and they paid 30 million cedis as part payment to kill Nana Angu. The macho men after collecting the money disappeared without doing the "job".

The Prosecutor said the Fuseini eager to fulfil his promise approached a Police Officer through a friend to recruit new people for the "job".

He said the Police Officer feigned interest and agreed to recruit men for the exercise. The Police Officer informed his superiors, who gave him Policemen to use for the "job".

ASP Frimpong told the Court that on December 9, 2003, Fuseini delegated Karimu Musah to send the Policemen in disguise to Tarkwa and they reported to Nana Yaadwo, who accommodated them.

In the night Fuseini sent Abdulai Musah to Tarkwa to inform the Queen Mother that he Alhaji Fuseni had dispatched men to Tarkwa as requested to kill Nana Kwabena Angu and that she should negotiate with them on the mode of payment.

On December 10, 2003, a Police Monitoring Team was dispatched to Tarkwa.

The Prosecutor said Abdulai Musah, Karimu Musah, Nana Yaadwo, Nana Ansah, one Gladys Keegya, sixth accused, and Alex Sampson, a Farmer and seventh accused met the two Policemen and held a series of meetings with them with regard to the killing of Nana Angu. At their meeting, the Prosecutor said, Nana Yaadwo gave two photographs of Nana Angu to the Policemen for easy identification and also showed them his house.

The Conspirators urged the disguised Policemen to employ any means possible to assassinate Nana Angu.

The Policemen then demanded a fee of 60 million cedis for the job but Nana Yaadwo and Nana Ansah told the Police to accomplish their task before the money would be paid.

The Queen Mother then instructed Karimu Musah to take the Policemen round and to show them the routes of Nana Angu's house. She also gave 100,000 cedis as seed money and another 140,000 cedis to the Policemen to buy snap card to refill their mobile phone for easy communications.

ASP Frimopong said the Policemen arranged a final meeting with conspirators at the residence of the Queen Mother after the Police had been alerted and while they were at the meeting the Police rushed in and rounded them up.