Assassin Squad to face Court on Monday

The Queen mother of Awoduah in the Wassa West District, Nana Efua Yaa Adwo and five others would on Monday, December 22, 2003 appear before an Accra Circuit for allegedly masterminding an assassination attempt on Nana Kwabena Angu II, Apintohene of Awoduah. The others are Ms Gladys KeeGya Council for Queen mother, Odikro Kwasi Ansah, Alex Sampson Armah, Kwao Kwaku, Mora Yahaya and an Alhaji who said to be on the run.

An officer of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said the suspects allegedly, with the assistance of the Alhaji, recruited a CID Investigator, Charles Adaba described as "master marksman" and others to assassinate Nana Angu II.

The Officer explained the 8-man assassination squad was to invade the palace as armed robbers and through the melee of robbing, killed the chief.

He said the CID Investigator Adaba was also to provide an AK 47 riffle and other arms as well as lead the group but fortunately, he leaked the information to the superiors.

A Police team led by Undercover Patrick E. Timbillah, CID headquarters, Operations Unit Accra, invaded Tarkwa on December 10th, 2003 and the arrested the suspects.

According to the source, a prize tag of 60 million cedis was to be paid to the group after, successfully executing the plot. The CID headquarters in Accra on December 15 also took a statement from Chief, Nana Angu.

After giving a cautions statement to the Police in Accra, Nana Angu II commended the Inspector General of Police, in particular and the Police Administration for the swift response to the plot that had served the nation another chieftaincy tragedy.

He also commended the Officers and men who undertook the operation for the exhibition of professionalism and decorum before, during and after the operation that prevented any repercussion and confrontation. Nana Angu II, reiterated an appeal to the IGP to reinforce the Police guard in Tarkwa and its surrounding areas to avert the Dagbon incident repeating itself.

The Apintohene also urged his subjects to exercise the greatest restraint during the period and called for unity. He refuted allegations that he organized the arrest of the queen mother, stressing, "I was equally shock to receive both news of an attempt to kill, alleged linkages of my queen mother and the subsequent arrest."

Nana Angu said, "I am still in a state of bewilderment and only have to thank God, the Police and all others for my life, I now own my life to God and Ghana Police."