Fumbisi manslaughter: Family, community reject released body

Correspondence from Upper East:

The family of Agbedemnaab, the young man who was allegedly murdered at Fumbisi on Wednesday by unknown assailants in a fight that broke out between youth of Baasa and Wiesi, has rejected arrangements to bury the deceased despite the body been released to them.

Following the completion of medical examination on the mortal remains at the War Memorial Hospital in Navrongo on Wednesday, the deceased was released to the family in Baasa under an arrangement for burial.

The arrangement was for the family to lay the deceased to rest while authorities and the Police work together to restore calm and apprehend the perpetrators.

But, what Ghanaweb has gathered is that, the family and leadership of Baasa have declined to perform the burial for late Agbedemnaab in line with the arrangement until the Police is able to make progress in arresting the persons behind the bloody killing of their son.

According to Ghanaweb sources, family of the decease and the Baasa community wants the Police to have in their custody the alleged killers, as surety that they would get justice, before they accept the body for interment.

The source said the family’s rejection has compelled authorities to transport the body to the War Memorial Hospital Mortuary in Navrongo for preservation while talks continue till a new understanding is reached.

The source told our Upper East Regional Correspondent, Senyalah Castro, who has been following the incident that the Police have put in measures to beef up security in the area to curtail possible reprisal attacks.

DCE continues call for calm

District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Daniel Kwame Gariba, in an interview he granted Fumbisi FM yesterday, continues to plead with the devastated family and youth of Baasa to remain calm as authorities work tirelessly to resolve the matter.

In the interview monitored by GhanaWeb, the DCE said Police have intensified search to apprehend the perpetrators of the gruesome murder. He revealed that homes of the alleged killers were thoroughly combed by the police for leads to assist in their arrest.

“We went to Baasa and met the family of the deceased. We explained everything to them and the police assured them they will take up the matter and make sure that the perpetrators are arrested. In fact, the youth of the area don’t under why arrests have still not been made. But the police are on top of the issue and the perpetrators will be smoked out from wherever they are hiding for justice to prevail,” the DCE assured.

The DCE commended the traditional authorities in both communities for their cooperation so far and urged them to continue to offer their support till a place is found to put the matter.

Mr. Gariba confirmed that the family rejected arrangements for the burial and authorities have agreed to the terms to ensure calm in the area.

“…as tensions were high, the family actually took a position that until they see justice, they were not going to bury their loved one. So yes, we had to concede and I provided a vehicle to convey the body back to Navrongo to the morgue so that the body can be preserved while we try to iron out the nitty gritty of the matter”. He confirmed.