I can give you more money – Mfansteman MP begged before being killed

The deceased Mfansteman MP, Ekow Quansah Hayford, had asked the robbers threatening his life to follow him to his residence for money as he had no money at the time of the robbery.

The MP, who felt threatened with a gun pointed to his head, explained to the robbers that “he was just returning from a campaign tour so had no money on him.”

This was contained in the facts presented to the Accra Circuit Court by Chief Inspector Seth Frimpong.

Chief Inspector Frimpong said about 1:00 am, the team bumped into a gang of armed robbers who blocked the road between Abeaze Dominase and Duadze robbing motorist of their monies and valuables.

He said the MP arrived with his campaign team onboard a Mitsuibitsi pickup branded in NPP colours. The robbers immediately fired gunshots into the vehicle, bursting the tyres as the vehicle suddenly stopped after running into a ditch.

The robbers surrounded them and demanded all their valuables. The robbers then pointed a gun at one Stephen Allan and asked whether he was the MP, he said no.

According to the prosecution, “the MP himself owned up, so they pounced on him and collected his Samsung galaxy 850 mobile phone and demanded money.”

It was at this point that the late MP told the robbers that he had used up all his money as he was from a campaign tour.

He, therefore, pleaded with them to take him to his house give them money but they refused and shot him, killing him instantly.

The suspected Mfansteman MP killers, who have been hauled before the Accra Circuit Court have been denied bail.

The accused persons are Alhassan Abubakar, Nazari Fudailu Nash, Alhassan Mahama Yahaya, Amadu Yakubu, Haruna Osumanu and Adam Alhassan.

The six accused person have been slapped with two counts — conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery.

On Wednesday, lawyers for the accused persons, led by George Asomani pleaded with the court to grant the suspects bail as they were ready to meet the bail conditions set by the court.

The lawyers argued that the accused persons had permanent places of abode and had relatives who were ready to stand as sureties for them.

But the prosecution disagreed.

According to them, the accused persons will interfere with investigations once they are granted bail.

The facts of the case presented by Chief Inspector Seth Frimpong were that the first accused person (A1), Alhassan Abubakar is a mobile phone repairer living at Akwatia Line, Kumasi.

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The second accused person (A2), Naziru Fudailu Nash popularly called SP is a businessman living at Aboabo number 2, Kumasi.

The third accused person (A3), Alhassan Mahama Yahaya also known as Mystical Cloud is unemployed living at Dansoman.

The fourth accused person (A4) Amadu Yakubu is a mobile money agent living at Mankessim Zongo.

The fifth accused person (A5) Haruna Osumanu is a trader living at Mankessim.

The sixth accused person (A6) is Adam Alhassan. The other accused persons are currently on the run.

Chief Inspector Frimpong said on October 9, 2020, about 1:00am, police had information that armed robbers had barricaded a section of the road between Abeaze-Dominase and Duadze on the Mankessim-Assufosu highway.

The accused person robbed commuters of their mobile phones, monies and other valuables.

On receipt of the information, police quickly mobilised men and proceeded to the scene but narrowly missed the robbers.

At the scene, police saw a number of vehicles parked on the road with some of the victims who had sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds with one dead.

According to the prosecution, the body was later identified as the Member of Parliament for Mfansteman constituency, Ekow Quansah Hayford.

Two of the victims were seriously injured. One Patrick Asante, a KIA truck driver and Uncle Issah the late MP’s driver.

Police cleared the road and conveyed the victims to Winneba and Cape Coast Hospitals for medical attention.

The body of the deceased Member of Parliament Ekow Quansah Hayford was also deposited at the Saltpond Mortuary pending autopsy.

The late MP for Mfansteman filed his nominations on October 8, 2020, for re-election and decided to visit four communities in the Taabosom electoral area, namely, Effutakwa, Opim, Takoradi and Duadze.

After having visited the communities with his campaign team members; Yaw Berchie, Nuako Frederick, Stephen Atteh Allan, Frank Asiedu, Emmanuel Bandoo and the driver, Uncle Issah were on their way back to Mankessim when the unfortunate happened.

Fast forward, Chief Inspector Frimpong said the police tracked the mobile phone of the deceased to Kumasi and arrested A2 at Aboabo in possession of the deceased Samsung galaxy 850.

The second accused person mentioned A1 as the person who sold the phone to him at GH₵780.00.

A2 then led the police to Akwatia line where A1 was also arrested. A1 also mentioned A7 as the one who sold the phone to him at GH₵680.00.

A3, A4, A5 and A6 were all arrested in connection with the robbery and murder of the late MP.

Efforts are underway to get the seventh accused person and the other accomplices who are at large.

The case has been adjourned to October 30, 2020.

Background

The Mfantseman legislator, Ekow Quanssah Hayford, was shot and killed on October 9, 2020, after his car was attacked by a gang suspected to be armed robbers.

The MP was returning from campaign duties when the incident happened.

The 49-year-old MP was in his vehicle with his driver and the constituency’s First Vice-Chairman when he was shot.