Suspect Lynched Over Motorbike Theft In Eastern Region

A suspected motorbike thief has been lynched at Obuotumpan, a community near Nyamekrom in Eastern Region.

Information gathered indicates that, in May 2023, an unregistered motorbike belonging to one Samuel Awuku, popularly known as Nana Yaw Abodee, was stolen, but he failed to report it to the police.

However, he came across the motorbike on July 2, 2023, at about 4:00 pm, ridden by a man identified as Ayawa and Augustine Minta alias Kwaku Attah.

The owner of the motorbike immediately pulled a gun and shot at the moving motorbike, causing it to crash.

But the rider, Ayawa, managed to escape with the motorbike, leaving the pillion rider, who was violently arrested.

Samuel Awuku grabbed and dragged the pillion rider to his uncle’s house and threatened to deal with him.

Shortly, a mob of young men wielding single-barrelled guns, sticks and clubs joined Samuel Awuku and dragged Kweku Attah to Ayawa’s father’s house to search for him and the motorbike.

However, on their way from Ampedwe to Obuotumpan, they tortured the victim until he became unconscious and was abandoned.

Police proceeded to the scene and found the victim dead, with the right wrist almost cut off and bruises all over his body.

He was conveyed to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where he was confirmed dead.

A postmortem report by Dr Collins Osei Kissi gave the cause of death as “Multiple blunt force trauma to the head and the wound to the right wrist”.

Samuel Awuku was arrested on July 17, 2023, and arraigned before the Koforidua District Court “A” the following day on a charge of murder.

The prosecutor, Sergeant George Defia, prayed the court to remand the accused person to enable police to investigate further to arrest six other identified accomplices.

The court granted the request and remanded the accused to reappear on August 2, 2023.