5 grabbed over USA women’s murder

Nana Mensah, a 45-year-old fetish priest and two others, mother and son – Amaria Brenda Mohammed, 60, and Razi Mohammed, 24- have been arrested in connection with the murder of the two African-American women in Akwamufie in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region.

Five suspects have so far been grabbed in connection with the assassination.

The Akosombo Divisional Police Command arrested Anokye Yeboah, 24 and Obiri Yeboah, 44, on Wednesday after it had exhumed the mutilated bodies of the two women, which were buried in an unmarked shallow grave at Fihankra.

Confirming the incident to DAILY GUIDE, ACP Bosompem, Akosombo Divisional Police Chief, hinted that the three suspects, who are neighbours to the African-Americans, were picked up by personnel from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters, Accra, on Friday and are currently in the custody of the Akosombo police.

ACP Bosompem said that his outfit nabbed the fetish priest with his accomplices for allegedly having hands in the death of the two women.

The police chief said the suspects were to be sent to the CID headquarters in Accra yesterday evening.

The deceased, Mamelina Diop, 75 and Nzinga Khaliya Janna, 69, were suspected to have been clubbed to death in their home and buried secretly about 300 metres away from their house by their attackers. They appeared to be living in an isolated area in the district.

Their mortal remains were buried together in a shallow grave which was located by one of three search groups organised by the Akwamuhene, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, on Wednesday.

The deceased were identified by their nephew, Goloi Osakwe Dwamena Akpan, who reported their absence to the police on Tuesday.

The African-Americans, who had lived in Fihankra, a suburb of Apiakrom in the district, for the past two decades, were reportedly involved in protracted quarrels over their ceremonial tittles as chiefs and owners of the land.

It was not clear whether the land under litigation was a gift from the chief of Apiakrom, Nana Apiante, to the two leaders or to the entire African-Americans in the area.

The Chieftaincy Minister, Dr Seidu Danaa, had reportedly accused the two women of projecting themselves as chiefs, and this resulted in the two bringing a suit against the minister last year, involving other parties, until this year when the Attorney General (AG) advised for an amicable settlement.

Later, sources say, the duo had their dogs poisoned by unknown persons, heightening their fears.

Families of the two had been worried over their disappearances after all calls to their phones went unanswered. They reportedly broke into their rooms and realised that the two women were not at home but saw blood stains, raising fear that they might have been harmed or kidnapped.

A complaint was lodged with the police at Akosombo, who then started a search on Wednesday morning in conjunction with a search team instituted by the Omanhene of the area.

The bodies have since been conveyed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital awaiting autopsy.

Meanwhile, a source from the Akwamu Traditional Area had told DAILY GUIDE that the paramount chief of Akwamu, Obenfo Kwafo Akoto III, will on Monday address a press confab on the matter.