<<Print>>THE ASHANTI Regional Police Command has arrested the Asawase Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Isaac Brenya, and several others in connection with the murder of Saddiq Abubakar aka Ogundi.
Other suspects arrested alongside the NPP chairman were Bawal Musah, Louis Mensah, Zakaria Seidu and Hajiya Wasila Gariba.
The police said they would all be charged with conspiracy to commit murder and murder. They are expected to be hauled before court in Kumasi today.
Killer
The police also identified Mohammedu Duna, a resident of Aboabo Number Two in Kumasi, as the person who stabbed Ogundi on the left side of the chest when the deceased was being chased by some thugs.
The knife that was used to kill Ogundi has also been found by the police.
Duna, who is currently on the run, has been declared wanted alongside Issah Osman, the NPP Asawase Constituency Youth Organiser, Ali Issah aka Liboo, Million, Bigman, MC, Baba Fuseini, Bera, Saddat and Papa.
The deceased, a spare parts dealer, was said to be part of angry loyalists of the party’s flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who locked up the NPP office on Thursday following reports that Isaac Brenya had hired some people to embark on a demonstration in favour of the suspended NPP National chairman, Paul Afoko.
A counter attack by Brenya’s supporters led to the unfortunate death of Abubakar Saddiq.
Other Arrests
The police also arrested and granted bail to Awal Mohammed and Tanko Abubakar aka ‘Gbeseh for vandalising items at the NPP constituency office.
Awal and Tanko, who together with Ogundi stormed the party office to cause destruction, have been charged with stealing and causing unlawful destruction.
Awal Tourez, who was with them, has been declared wanted.
50 Cent Innocent
Addressing a news conference in Kumasi, DCOP Kofi Boakye, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, stated that one 50 Cent, who was widely rumoured to be the killer of Ogundi, was innocent.
He said Ogundi and his group of other young men had issues with Isaac Brenya, so they stormed the NPP office at Asawase to re-lock the facility when they learnt that Isaac Brenya had opened the office on Friday November 6.
DCOP Kofi Boakye said Ogundi and his group stormed the party office on motorbikes and assaulted Zakaria Seidu, who was with Isaac Brenya, and also vandalised the office.
Unknown to the group of Ogundi, who was holding an axe, Brenya had also hired some thugs to protect the office and these thugs ambushed Ogundi and his group right in front of the NPP office at Asawase.
Brenya’s thugs including Bawal Musah, Bigman and Liboo gave Ogundi a hot chase.
During the race, Liboo, who was wielding a gun, tried shooting Ogundi twice but the trigger failed to pull.
Mohammedu Duna however succeeded in stabbing Ogundi in the chest, forcing the now deceased person to fall heavily on a blind woman who was sitting in the area, before giving up the ghost after bleeding profusely.
Mohammedu Duna then dropped the knife at the crime scene and picked the axe which Ogundi was wielding and vanished into thin air, the police chief told a press conference on Monday.
Investigations
DCOP Kofi Boakye said because of its seriousness, his office is now handling the case under the supervision of the regional crime officer, urging the public not to interfere in the matter. He asked politicians and religious leaders to stay away from the matter which is purely criminal.
He said the case at hand involved the loss of a precious human life therefore the police were ready to do a professional job so that any culpable person would be prosecuted accordingly.
DCOP Kofi Boakye also warned the public not to harbour Mohammed Duna and the rest who had been declared wanted.
He warned politicians in the region not to engage the services of hoodlums for matters bordering on security, stating that people who hire thugs would be deemed guilty when the thugs break the law.