Ritual murder: Suspect arrested for beheading Bolt driver
A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested for the murder of a 33-year-old headteacher of Atonsu-based Rogel Montesorri Basic School.
Police in Ashanti Region picked up Rashid Ibrahim on Sunday, July 4, hours after the body of Israel Agyei Manu was found at Feyiase, a suburb of Kumasi.
According to the police, Rashid confessed to the crime and added that he was motivated by riches.
He had been promised wealth by some people who instructed him to get a human head for sacrifices.
“We had a tip-off that he was the one behind the killing of this gentleman, so we quickly apprehended him, ”ASP Godwin Ahianyo, Public Relations Officer of Ashanti Regional Police Command, disclosed. “He mentioned some persons to be those that lured him; that they told him that if he wants to make money, he should go and get the head of a human being and bring it so that they could help him get enough money”.
The suspect denied the crime but later “led police to the scene and then also where he had hidden the machete he used in committing the crime, and so police retrieved the machete as well.”
The police said the suspect hired the services of the deceased, also a teacher, to transport some speakers.
However, the suspect pulled a machete and slashed the driver on the way to the destination.
The decapitated body of Israel Agyei Manu, who is said to be the headteacher of a private school at Atonsu, was found at Feyiase on Sunday, July 4, 2020, by some residents in the area.
According to eyewitnesses, a woman had heard a loud cry nearby which ceased shortly and raised an alarm.
During an interaction with the media, the Assemblyman for Feyiase Electoral Area, Samuel Yaw Kwae, said, around 2:05 pm Sunday, he had information of a decapitated body lying in front of an uncompleted building at Feyiase New Site.
The police were informed immediately.
Together with some residents, they searched the area leading to the retrieval of the head, which was about 20 metres away from the location of the body.
The head of the deceased had multiple machete cuts.
A white Toyota Vitz vehicle with registration number GE 3170 21 was parked at the scene, together with a mobile phone and wallet containing cash were found.
The body was deposited at Pramso Hospital Morgue as investigations commenced.
Residents have expressed fear following the incident, noting that pockets of such incidences have been recorded in the community.
The community, which has many uncompleted houses, makes it easy for assailants to commit such acts.
They have since appealed to the police to increase surveillance in the area and ensure that the perpetrators were found and dealt with in accordance with the law.