One year after the disappearance of the hip-life musician, Theophilus Tagoe, aka Castro, and Janet Bandu, the captain of the Black Stars, Asamoah Gyan, has urged Ghanaians to keep hope alive as the search continues to locate their whereabouts.
“It has been a year of prayer and keeping hope alive. We still pray for strength and fortitude for the police and all related agencies as they continue the search,” a statement issued by Mr Samuel Anim Addo, on behalf of Gyan and his friends, said.
It said Castro’s and Bandu’s friends and families remained hopeful about the return of the two, a year after their disappearance. “We pray for strength for the affected families. We pray for good news,” it said.
Missing at Ada
Castro and Bandu went missing during a jet-ski ride at Aqua Safari on July 6, 2014 while holidaying at a resort in Ada.
Since then, searches by the police are yet to yield any positive result, although both the police and close friends and relations of Castro and Bandu remain hopeful of their return.
They had gone to the resort in the company of Gyan when the incident occurred.
Since the incident, there has been a massive and elusive search by both the police and relations of the two. Some spiritualists even joined in the search, but, unfortunately, nothing came out of it.
The disappearance has since kept the nation pondering over what might have happened to the hip-life artiste and his lady friend. While some people believe that Castro is dead, snippets of information assembled from family members and friends of the musician indicate that all may not be lost, after all.
Police assurance
The Public Relations Officer of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr James Benefo Darkwa, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the police had not given up the search for the duo.
According to him, although it had been a year of fruitless efforts to know the whereabouts of the two persons, “we cannot close the case and assume they are dead”.
“The police are still continuing their search for Castro and Bandu, as the search has been extended to other coastal areas in the capital,” he said in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday.
Police search continues
Mr Darkwa said although Ghanaians could give up on the search for Castro and Bandu, the police were not mandated constitutionally to follow suit.
According to Section 33 of the Evidence Act of 1975, “a person can only be declared legally dead after seven years by a court, where the person in question has not been seen or heard from in seven years, despite diligent and persistent efforts to find him”.
Mr Darkwa said the hunt had also been extended, as Interpol Ghana had informed its counterparts in the sub-region to search as well. According to him, the police would continue to partner fishermen along the beaches to assist the police in the search for Castro.
He said although the police were doing all they could to locate the whereabouts of the two, the public must help them with information.
He said since the disappearance was under investigations, the criminal aspect of the case was still being considered, adding, “As long as Castro and Janet have still not been found, the investigations will be covering all aspects of the matter, including the criminal elements.”
Castro the pastor
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Takoradi, Castro’s father, Mr John L. Eshun, said he had the feeling that his son would come back one day.
“My son’s mysterious disappearance is a big blow to me and the family. Though I have a feeling that he will come back one day, I have missed a son, brother and friend,” he said.
He said he believed Castro would return to fulfill his dream of becoming a pastor and pull crowds for God.
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