Abesim murders: Police find intestines buried in cocoa farm

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has announced that its team investigating alleged murders in Abesim in the Bono Region has found human intestines allegedly buried by the suspect, Richard Appiah.

The entrails, supposedly of one of the deceased, were found on a cocoa farm and have since been exhumed for analysis and forensic examination in Accra.

A statement issued on Wednesday, August 25, said two cutlasses with bloodstains used by the suspect to commit the crime were also retrieved from the scene.

The Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, has meanwhile directed the Counselling Department of the Service to provide trauma-reduction therapy, counselling and other psychological support to the affected families.

The statement added that ACP Phyllis Osei, Director, Police Counselling Unit, and ASP Foster Nanewortor arrived at Sunyani on Tuesday, August 24, 2021, and visited the family of Louis Agyemang, one of the victims to hold a counselling session with them.

“This was held with all family members and neighbours who were present. Private counselling sessions were later held with parents, siblings and some key immediate family members who were adversely impacted by the murder,” said the statement.

“The team later proceeded to visit the family of the second victim, Stephen Boateng, at Abesim Alaska Junction, and the same counselling sessions were held with the family”.

The police service has also assured the general public. “especially the affected families and the people of Abesim of a thorough investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice”.

Background

Police arrested the suspect for the murder of three persons, including two teenagers, and preserving their chopped body parts in a fridge.

Richard Appiah, 28, an architect, was picked up on Friday, August 20, for allegedly killing his stepbrother and two others aged 12 and 15 years.

According to the police, 56-year-old Thomas Adjei reported that his 12-year-old son Louis Agyemang Junior had gone missing on Friday.

The boy had gone to play football and did not return home as of 10 pm. But one of the friends of the boy told Mr Adjei that he had seen Loius exit the park together with Richard during the football match.

Mr Adjei organised some neighbours and went to Alaska near Abesim in Sunyani together with the police to question Richard, who is also the stepbrother of Loius.

The team insisted on searching the house and found one of the doors locked.

However, the suspect explained that the keys to the room had gone missing.

After forcefully breaking the door, the body of Louis Agyemang Junior was found in cold blood lying prostrate on the floor with the head severed. The group found a sack containing human body parts.

A fridge in the house also contained three human heads, including that of Loius.

One of the deceased was identified as Stephen, 15, but the identity of the third is yet to be established. Many more body parts were found tucked in the fridge like meat at a slaughterhouse.

The three human heads and the body of Louis Agyemang Junior were deposited at the Best Care Mortuary at Mantukwa in the Sunyani West Municipality.

The development has prompted the IGP Dampare, to direct the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the police headquarters in Accra to provide technical support to the Bono Regional CID to investigate the matter.