Father, son arrested over alleged murder at Assin Akrofuom

The Assin South District Police Command has arrested a father and his son for their alleged involvement in the death of a 31-year-old man at Assin Akrofuom. The deceased, Mr Samuel Kofi Amankwa, popularly known as ‘Kofi Marshie’, died under circumstances being investigated by the police. The suspects, Joseph Mensah and his son, Anthony Mensah, have been provisionally charged with murder and are in police custody assisting investigations.

Preliminary investigations indicate that one of the suspects confronted the deceased after allegedly catching him stealing half a bag of fresh cocoa beans. The incident was also linked to earlier allegations that the deceased had stolen coconut seedlings belonging to the suspects. Confirming the arrests to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Chief Superintendent Edmund Agyemang Badu, Central North Regional Crime Officer, said the two suspects reported themselves to the police after the incident.

He said a police team that visited the scene found the deceased lying on his back near an electricity pole and retrieved a nylon rope suspected to have been used to tie him to the pole. An examination of the body revealed bruises on the deceased’s hands, eyebrows and waist, which were consistent with injuries from an assault. However, some family members, led by Nana Kofi Ohemeng, Asona Abusuapanin of Assin Akrofuom, gave a different account of the incident.

He alleged that the suspects forced their way into the deceased’s room while he was asleep, dragged him outside and assaulted him. Nana Ohemeng said the room was about 500 metres from the location where the alleged assault occurred. Police investigations are ongoing.