Ya-Na died of decapitation - Investigator

Accra, Oct. 19, GNA - Police Detective Inspector Augustus Nkrumah, the investigator who took over Ya-Na case on Tuesday said his investigations into the matter reveals that the chief died as a result of decapitation.

He said even though he had not contacted the pathologist who conducted autopsy on the body, his contacts with one Inspector Abandze, one of the initial detectives who enquired into the matter confirms it. He also insisted that though he had not read both the Wuako Commission and the Special Police Investigative Reports his investigations on the matter are true.

Inspector Nkrumah was speaking during cross-examination by Mr Philip Addison, Lead Counsel for the 15 accused persons who are standing trial for their involvement in the murder of the Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II. He explained that the first time that he went to Yendi was on April 9, when the Police arrested the accused persons.

Inspector Nkrumah said as an investigator on the matter, he took the opportunity to visit the Gbewaa Palace to make his own enquiries to get first hand information on the matter.

He said because of the tension in Yendi, he was provided with police and military escort who took him round various parts of the Gbewaa Palace where he found bullet holes.

He said he also visited the Prison Quarters, the place where about five witnesses claimed they saw the murderers of the Ya-Na as well as the houses which were set ablaze near the palace. When he was asked by Defence Counsel why some of the people who were arrested initially were not among the accused persons, he said some of them were freed by the Human Right Court. Inspector Nkrumah refuted claims from the Defence that most of the witnesses he spoke in Yendi and invited to come and testify in the case were Andanis.

He also denied knowledge that Mohammed Achana aka Red who was a warrior of the Ya-Na was trained in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Meanwhile Police Detective Inspector Charles Adaba, the investigator who undertook enquiries into the Yendi crisis in 2002 had testified at the on-going trial.

Inspector Adaba who tendered to the court a copy of the Police Special Investigative Report, said on March 24, 2002, a Police sergeant was stationed at the Yendi Divisional Criminal Investigation Department. He said on that day they were informed by the Divisional Police Commander one M.M. Adams that a curfew would be imposed on Yendi and that the Bugum Fire festival had been cancelled.

He said on March 25, morning he left for Tamale because he had a programme there and returned to Yendi around 1500 hours. Inspector Adaba said around 1600 hours firing in the township intensified and continued till the following morning. He said March 26, afternoon the firing started again and the Police on standby were not allowed to go out.

Inspector Adaba said on April 4, 2002 the police did a report on the people who died in the Yendi crisis and where they were buried before the Wuako Commission was established.

He said police investigations revealed that 30 people died including the Ya-Na. The police also managed to take pictures of the decapitated body of the Ya-Na when it was set ablaze. He said in the course of police investigations at the Gbewaa Palace they found some exhibits including a burnt AK-47 assault riffle and a sub-machine gun.

Inspector Adaba said a G-3 rifle was taken from Mohammed Achana Abdulsalam, while another AK-47 and a G-3 riffle were also found in a vehicle belonging to the late Ya-Na. He said out of the 30 people who died only one Iddi who belong to the Abudus died at the Yendi hospital.

He said the five sub-chiefs who died in the Palace were identified as Andanis and were buried in their houses in accordance with Dagbon custom while another 20 who were identified also as Andanis were buried at a village called Sambu. Fifteen persons are on trial for their alleged involvement in the assassination of Ya-Na Andani and 30 others in March 2002. They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to murder and murder.

The accused persons are; Mohammed Habib Tijani, former Yendi DCE, Iddrisu Iddi, 76, Alhaji Baba Iddrisu Abdulai, 54, Kwame Alhassan, 53, and Mohammadu Abdulai, 57.

The others are; Saibu Mohammed, 34, Alhassan Mohammed Briamah, 40, Alhassan Ibrahim, Mohammed Mustapha and Sani Moro. The rest are; Baaba Ibrahim, Yakubu Usifu, Ahmed Abukari, Abdul Razak Usifu and Alhassan Braimah. Zakaria Forest, the man alleged to have cut-off the head and hands of the Ya- Na, is at large.

The prosecution's case is that sometime in March 2002, the Ya-Na and some of his elders were killed following a clash between the two royal gates in Dagbon, the Abudus and Andanis. After the clash, Idrissu Gyamfo and Yidana Sugri were arrested and prosecuted for the alleged murder but they were acquitted and discharged.

The government in a fresh attempt to find the murderers conducted a dawn swoop at Yendi during which 41 persons were rounded up. After screening them in Bimbilla, 33 were granted self-recognisance bail, while the rest were brought to Accra and subsequently others were arrested and were arraigned. The case has been adjourned to October 20. 19 Oct. 10