Betty Mould castigates Akufo-Addo, IGP, CID Boss over Takoradi girls’ killing

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Acting IGP, James Oppong Boanuh, and the CID Boss, Tiwaa Addo Danquah have completely failed the ordinary Ghanaian with their mediocre management of issues regarding the kidnapping of some four girls in Takoradi and subsequently news of their demise.

This is according to Former Attorney General, Betty Mould Iddrisu who has publicly spoken on the issue, following an announcement by the Mr. Oppong Boanuh Monday evening.

The Acting IGP, in a brief presser, September 16, 2019, disclosed that some skeletal remains discovered by police, in a septic tank at the residence of key suspect, Sam Wills, were those of the four girls; Ruth Abakah, Priscilla Kuranchie, Ruth Love Quayson, and Priscilla Blessing Bentum; all who went missing in 2018.

In an epistle to express her sentiments on the issue, she bemoaned the lackadaisical manner in which the subject was tackled by the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, Nana Akufo-Addo, the IGP and the CID.

“Mr. President, Inspector - General of Police, CID boss - you have FAILED the ordinary Ghanaian. Listen to the cries of your people and ensure that justice is done so that the families of four (4) of our citizens can live without trauma.

Even though we knew the news would come that the skeletal remains found in the Western Region were those of the four “Taadi” girls, it still brought a wave of incredible sadness to the majority of Ghanaians”.

“Much has been said about the absolutely useless, clueless, meandering and non-effective nature of the police investigations in this case”.

“The Ghana Police has always had some of the finest police men and women to be found anywhere in the Globe and definitely across Africa’s 54 countries. The ordinary Ghanaian criminal investigator can produce some stunning results and this has manifested on numerous occasions in the success in crime reduction and has contributed to Ghana being described as an oasis of peace in West Africa. These kidnappings however bore the imprimatur of failed leadership and direction in their investigation. It has resulted in life long personal tragedies for the families which will remain forever”.

Read the full statement below

Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu, Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice writes:

THE ‘MURDERED‘ TAADI GIRLS; LEADERSHIP FAILED US ALL

Even though we knew the news would come that the skeletal remains found in the Western Region were those of the four “Taadi” girls, it still brought a wave of incredible sadness to the majority of Ghanaians. This was not a wave based on politics nor was it partisan, tribal or gender but a pervasive feeling of helplessness at the way and manner this news would affect the families and a guilty but instinctive feeling of us parents and grandparents that at least 'our' children were safe. Much has been said about the absolutely useless, clueless, meandering and non-effective nature of the police investigations in this case.

Wait, I’m BETTY Mould-Iddrisu, Ghana’s first female Attorney-General who had impeccably notorious engendered credentials and yet here I was - open mouthed and feeling just incredibly sad - the wave of anger and wonderment about how to get justice for these girls was also pervasive. I wanted to write this immediately the DNA results were announced so I could have some form of articulation in the wave - but I just could not. Listening to call after call for action to be taken against the bosses of the criminal investigation department for their ‘criminal’ ineptitude in the handling of the case and studying the time lines of these tragedies, I’m even more sad.

The Ghana Police has always had some of the finest police men and women to be found anywhere in the Globe and definitely across Africa’s 54 countries. The ordinary Ghanaian criminal investigator can produce some stunning results and this has manifested on numerous occasions in the success in crime reduction and has contributed to Ghana being described as an oasis of peace in West Africa. These kidnappings however bore the imprimatur of failed leadership and direction in their investigation. It has resulted in life long personal tragedies for the families which will remain forever.

How do we move on? How do we ensure that this NEVER afflicts or harms any person or family again. We must look at holding leadership accountable from the top, we must make our streets safe again, communities and the law enforcement agencies must work hand in hand, laws must be enforced, our technology must improve, informants must be incentivized to play the important role, the prison system must be cleansed and the judicial system enabled to deal with the lowest dregs of human beings determined to wreck our hallowed way of life.

The ‘Taadi girls‘ tragedies, whether they are alive or murdered, should be our turning point to free Ghana of this creeping violence; where young boys and girls are killed for ritualistic purposes, where ordinary people are murdered when walking the streets, where the vulnerable are prone to armed attacks, where vigilantism and mob justice is the order of the day, where we cannot protect our young girls from these savage attacks of kidnapping and sexual predators, where our penal system has become the training ground of sexual and other forms of pervasive influences, and the litany goes on and on. Let us FACE the realities that when the kidnappers left multiple clues no one was able to act effectively on any of the many leads as either a tool for their rescue or investigation!

Mr. President, Inspector - General of Police, CID boss - you have FAILED the ordinary Ghanaian. Listen to the cries of your people and ensure that justice is done so that the families of four (4) of our citizens can live without trauma.

BETTY Mould-Iddrisu