‘Killers’ of aeronautical engineer say they mistook him for a pig
The Akyem Oda police have arrested three suspects who allegedly killed an aeronautical engineer of African World Airline (AWA) at Akyem Asuboa in the Eastern Region.
Prince Kwabena Kumi met his untimely death on April 1, 2018, while on his way to visit his family to celebrate Easter festivities.
The suspects are Joseph Kwasi Effah alias Kwasi Tailor, Kwabena Akwaah, 45, and Kwasi Bosompem Mensah, 58, all members of the local community watchdog committee.
The prime suspect – Joseph Kwasi Effah, has allegedly admitted to shooting Kwabena Kumi with a locally-made single barrel gun.
According to Kwasi Tailor, on the night of March 31, 2018, at about 9:00 pm, he was assigned together with his colleague Kwabena Akwaah, 45, to patrol Asuboa Bungalow to Cannan Junction as community watchdog members.
He stated further that, at about 1:35 am, their patrol took them to Dabiso Junction, but he heard the sound of a pig in a nearby bush where he shot in the direction, but he later discovered that he had rather shot a human being.
The two of them abandoned the body out of fear and failed to disclose the incident to any other person.
The body of Prince Kwabena Kumi was discovered with gunshot wounds, few meters from his home after a search was mounted by his family, who had gone days without hearing from him.
An autopsy conducted on the body confirmed he was shot at close range.
According to the family, there were marks of assault on the body at the time of discovery. The body was conveyed to the morgue by the police pending further investigations.
The family said they later found his car parked at the police station looking washed up.
They believe the deceased was brutalized to death by the police, an accusation the police denied.
Some suspects, including a commercial driver, were arrested but discharged for lack of evidence.
On April 19, 2021, three years after the incident at about 10:00 am, Kwabena Akwaah, an accomplice, was also arrested.
He mentioned Kwasi Bosompem Mensah as a colleague who was on duty when Kwasi Tailor shot and killed the engineer.
The suspects were put before Oda Magistrate Court on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, and have been remanded into police custody.