Ahmed’s Murder: ‘Don’t Focus On Ken Agyapong Alone’ – AFAG Tells Police

Wesley Owusu, a deputy Secretary for pressure group, Alliance for Accountable governance (AFAG) has bemoaned the spate of suspected contract killings in the country in recent times.

He has therefore urged the Ghana Police Service and other state investigative agencies to conduct extensive search for the killers of the undercover journalist who was murdered last week.

Ahmed Hussein-Suale was gunned down by unknown assailants at Madina, a suburb of Accra on Wednesday night. The unidentified men on motorbikes shot at him three times, twice in the chest and another in the neck while he was driving home.

Ahmed Hussein-Suale

Hussein-Suale was a key investigative journalist with Ghana’s ace undercover journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ and his Tiger Eye P.I firm.

His death comes months after Kennedy Agyapong called for retribution against him on NET 2 TV, a TV station owned by the legislator.

But as some Ghanaians are blaming Mr Agyapong for the “reckless act”, Wesley Owusu believes the legislator may be innocent despite splashing the late journalist’s pictures on TV.

“The Police shoud expand their investigation scope and look beyond Kennedy Agyapong…They may be chasing the wrong person if they go that way,” he advised and call the police to be professional in their investigations.

Maame Tiwaa Addo DAnquah, CID Boss

“I’ll urge the police and the government that the NPP will not remain in power forever. NDC never dreamt of leaving office in 2016,” he told Kwame Minkah, host of Ete Sen on Radio XYZ 93.1 as he adminished the police to carry out their investigations devoid of politics and “allow the laws work.”

When asked about the conduct of the police, Wesley said they could work hard and curtail the growing insecurity when provided with the right logistics.

“…We need to sanitise the system. The logistics that the police will need to work very well should be provided to enable the police to fight these crimes.

he was however quick to state that the security of the country was not in a precarious state, stressing “Don’t let us make it look like our streets aren’t safe that one cannot move out to go and buy koko (porridge).”

On his part, a former deputy minister for Upper West region during the Mills administration described the Ghana police service’s way of handling the Assin Central MP over the murder Hussein-Suale as terrible.

Mr Kale Caeser believes the police are treating Mr Agyapong with “kid gloves” because his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is in power.

“Kennedy Agyapong’s TV station would have been shut down if we were in a serious country,” he told Kwame Minkah, host of Ete sen.

“You believe if it were a media house belonging to an NDC MP, his station wouldn’t be closed by now?” he quizzed whille pointing out the “hypocrisy” of the Ghana Police Service and the supposed neutrals who have suddenly lost their voices on the matter.

“I am counselling them [the police] for the first time that they should get to the bottom of the matter. They should also know that some international bodies are watching us,” he said on Ete Sen on Tuseday.

Police

Meanwhile, the Police have announced it has interrogated Mr Kennedy Agyapong and the biggest victim of ‘Number 12’, Mr Kwasi Nyantakyi over the assassination of Mr Suale.

Kennedy Agyapong

According to a statement signed by the Director-General of Public Affairs at the Ghana Police Service, ACP David Eklu, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has already started “extensive and rigorous investigations into the unfortunate killing.”

the statement further said the CID will continue to interrogate other persons of interest as well as following up on “multiple significant leads”, assuring that they will undertake a thorough investigation into the matter.

Minority’s Concerns

The Minority in Parliament on Monday called for the arrest of Kennedy Agyapong for calling for retribution against Ahmed Hussein-Suale.

Addressing a press conference they condemned the act in the “strongest possible terms” as they sent condolences to the immediate family of Ahmed.

James Agalga, Builsa North MP

“This cold blooded killing of Hussein-Suale is undoubtedly a catastrophic attack on press freedom and free expression in Ghana,” James Agalga, Builsa North MP and former deputy Interior Minister said while encouraging the media “not to be intimidated or cowed by the dastardly act.”

Calling for Mr Agyapong to be picked up, Mr Agalga stated that “Mr Agyapong appears to bear some criminal responsibility for the death of Ahmed, and he also bears criminal responsibility for instigating the public to beat up Ahmed and cause harm to Mr. Anas for monetary reward.”

He also said by section 20(1) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), a person who, directly or indirectly, instigate, commands, counsels, procures, solicit, or in any manner purposely aids, facilitates, encourages, or promotes, whether by a personal act or presence or otherwise, and a person who does an act for the purposes of aiding, facilitating, encouraging, or promoting the commission of criminal offence by any other person, whether known or unknown, certain, or uncertain, commits the criminal offence of abetting that criminal offence, and of abetting the other person in respect of that criminal offence.”