One More Arrested Over Oblogo Chief’s Murder

THE WEIJA police arrested one more suspect, Ibrahim Tetteh, 28, in his hideout at the Kokrobite beach on Easter Monday at about 10:00pm for the role he allegedly played in the killing of the chief of Oblogo, Nii Kwaku Bibini II.

This brings to eight the number of suspects arrested in connection with the gory murder.

The eight are Moro Mohammed- 28, Ali Ibrahim- 18, Abdul Rauf- 44, Zakaria Miohammed- 24, Abdul Alhassan- 22, Alex Borzoga- 25, Awudu Abass- 22 and Ibrahim Tetteh, 28.

The suspects have since been caged at the cells of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters in Accra.

At about 1:50 pm yesterday, when DAILY GUIDE arrived at the Homicide Unit of the CID Headquarters, crack investigators from the unit were taking suspects through rigorous interrogation, probing snippets of information trickling in.

A visit to the private residence of the overlord of James Town, Nii Kodjo Ababio V, yielded nothing as elders available were not prepared to talk on the sad issue.

However, DAILY GUIDE gathered that the James Town Traditional Council had just ended a crisis meeting, with the chief’s death being one of its major discussions.

Indeed, the mourning apparel worn by a few persons spotted around told the whole story.

Hell broke loose on Easter Sunday April 8, 2012 when Nii Kwaku Bibini, who had been in a protective custody after his palace was gutted by fire set by arsonists, resurfaced at Oblogo with the intention of rehabilitating his palace to resettle as a ruler of Oblogo.

A rival faction which opposed his entry into the town quickly besieged his palace to quiz him on his mission, as he had been declared a persona non grata in the area following a court order.

In the ensuing warlike situation, Nii Bibini’s men were overpowered by his rivals, causing a pandemonium in the area, with everyone running helter-skelter for their lives.

Nii was unlucky as his men fled, leaving him to his fate while the enemies closed in on him.

He was finally killed on a manhole in a compound near his palace.

Sources said the chief suffered a gunshot wound in his left armpit before being clubbed and axed with a cutlass by his assassins.

Fresh evidence gathered by DAILY GUIDE showed that the assassins had also hammered a nail into his head.

The gory incident is allegedly the result of a long-standing tension between two traditional councils, the Asene of Gbawe and the Engleshie Alata of James town, with each claiming lordship over Oblogo.

According to the Weija Police Commander, ASP Kwame Gyase Afari, the killing of one Amidu Salifu on February 18, 2011 in the palace rekindled the chieftaincy dispute in the area.

A faction of the rivalry group attacked Nii Bibini’s palace, setting all his belongings ablaze.

No arrest was made except the alleged murderer of Salifu, Alex Cudjoe.

Nii Bibini was also arrested on February 20, 2011 and placed in protective custody for almost a year.

In January this year, he was granted bail under the condition that he stayed away from Oblogo since the police could not guarantee his safety.

When police had a hint that he had resurfaced in Oblogo, following a reverse of the ban, the Crime Officer of the Weija Police, ASP Kwasi Kwarteng, together with some uniformed men, met him at his abandoned palace to warn him of an imminent attack as the grounds were unsafe.

This was at about 2:00pm, after which the police left.

Moments after, reports of violence broke and the police returned to the area but it was too late.

Nii Bibini had long been killed by his rivals.

His body was found lying in a pool of blood on a manhole in a private compound, a few metres from the palace.

The police have since not been able to trace the body of a second person suspected to have been killed as they traced blood stains to a thicket around a portion of the Densu River.

On Easter Monday, a high-powered delegation consisting of the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Afotey Agbo, Director-General Police Operations, COP John Kudalor, the Accra Regional Deputy Commander, C.T. Yohuno and the Weija Commander, ASP Kwame Gyase Afari, among others were at the crime scene.

The delegation also visited the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where the Minister donated an amount of money for the upkeep of three injured persons, Ato Kwamena, Mac Joe and Evans Ashiley, who are receiving treatment there.

Afotey Agbo urged the police to unravel the mystery surrounding the death of the murdered chief in three weeks and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.

COP Kudalor also used the opportunity to warn the assassins that the Police Service would not countenance such nonsense, adding they would do everything possible to ensure that justice prevailed.