Police suspects foul play over girl's burial

Kasoa, (C/R), 13 Aug. GNA - Five persons including the Odikro of Asabahan, near Kasoa in the Central Region and a nursing mother have been arrested by

the Police in connection with the clandestine burial of the body of her two-year old daughter at a secret location. A source at the Kasoa District Police Headquarters told the Ghana News Agency that the Police suspected a foul play when they received a report on July 9,

this year that the body of the minor, identified as Grace Amewu, had been secretly buried on a plot of land at Asabahan,. The source said police arrested Cynthia Amewu, 19, mother of the girl, who mentioned Nii Sackey Armah, 68, the Odikro, as the one who granted her

permission to burry the corpse at the outskirts of the town. Also arrested were three persons, Daniel Amewu, 34, Cynthia's supposed boyfriend, Jordan Kofi Kyere and Adams Agbodo, who allegedly helped to bury the

corpse. The five were initially charged with the offence of hindrance of inquest before a circuit court at Agona Swedru, presided over by Mr Nathaniel Osam, which

granted the three bail while remanding the Odikro and the mother of the girl. All the accused persons had pleaded not guilty. A post-mortem examination, performed by Dr Marcia Maria Cruz Eligia, a pathologist at the Police Hospital, on the body following the court's order attributed

the death to among other things, "Traumatic injuries, multiple soft tissue and bony fractures and fracture of the right ribs". However, Cynthia maintained that when her daughter fell ill she took her to a clinic at Domeabra and was referred to Kasoa Clinic, but she died on the way, the

source added. After they had been granted bail, the three who allegedly helped Cynthia to burry her daughter attacked one Aminu Mohamed, caretaker, who was said to have

discovered the burial spot, inflicted severe wounds on his body, caused extensive damage to his car apparently for exposing them and bolted. The source also revealed that Cynthia told the Police that the biological father of her daughter, a driver, whose name she did not disclose, was currently serving

a jail term for knocking down a pedestrian. She said that she was only three 0months pregnant at the time of the man's sentence and thereafter fell in love with Daniel, with whom she was living at the time

of her daughter's death. When the case was called for hearing on Wednesday, the Police investigator in charge of the case had failed to produce to court, the two accused persons who

were still in custody. The court granted bail of 21, 000 Ghana cedis with two sureties to be justified to Armah following an application by Mr Sam Awotwe, his counsel and the case

was adjourned to August 26. The source indicated that the Police were likely to amend the lighter charge of hindrance of inquest and prefer a more serious charge of murder against the five. Meanwhile, the Police have mounted a hunt for the three others who have jumped bail, while Cynthia remained in custody. 13 Aug 09