PHOTO: Chief Was Beheaded Over Coconut

Preliminary investigations have indicated that the Ebusuapanyin of Narkwa Asona Royal Family of Ekumfi Narkwa in the Central Region, Nana Kojo Eguasiah, was killed and beheaded last week over coconut. The 50-year-old Ebusuapayin�s horrifying death led to communal violence in the area, as the Fantes clashed with Ewe settlers, during which three people from the community were killed and several houses set ablaze. The suspect was apprehended after the deceased�s cellphone was traced to his sister. Speaking at a press conference in Cape Coast yesterday, Central Regional Police Commander DCOP Stephen Andoh Kwofie said the late Ebusuapanyin had a scuffle with Kweku Mensah, a 37-year-old farmer and coconut seller, whom the deceased allegedly caught stealing coconut from his farm. According to DCOP Andoh Kwofie, the deceased grabbed Mensah on his farm and after an exchange of words, they engaged in fisticuffs during which Mensah killed the old man, cut off the head and buried the dismembered parts on the farm. He added that the suspect buried the head deeper into the ground next to the body to hide his crime. The police commander further revealed that three days ago, his outfit was informed that the phone of the deceased was in possession of Mensah�s younger sister, Aba Koba, 30, so they mounted a search and traced the duo to Ekumfi Narkwa. He stated that Mensah was subsequently arrested on Sunday and confessed to killing the deceased upon police interrogation. DCPOP Andoh Kwofie alleged that Mensah informed his sister about the murder and his sister in turn advised him not to tell anyone about it. He added that Mensah handed over to Koba the deceased person�s phone, which he took after murdering the Ebusuapanyin. The police hinted that during their investigations, they called the Ebusuapayin�s phone and Koba answered it, but denied she was called Aba Koba and also gave them a wrong house address in order to prevent the police from tracing her. DCOP Andoh Kwofie stated that Koba was however located at her hideout and arrested on Monday. The police team sent Mensah to the farm where he retrieved the decapitated head of the deceased. The police commander urged the public to assist them in arresting the killers of Kojo Munkoh and Saani, who lost their lives during the subsequent violence. It would be recalled that last Tuesday, the headless body of Nana Kojo Eguasiah was found buried in a shallow grave after several hours of search on his own farm.