The suspects
A twelve-year-old boy, Cornelius Negble, has been murdered in Nornyikpor, a farming community in the Agortime-Ziope district of the Volta Region.
The murder of the teenager a week ago prompted investigation by the Kpetoe Police with support from the Volta Regional Police Headquarters.
Seven suspects have since been arrested and arraigned.
They are Hunor (fetish priest), Kofi Koko alias Ando Kofi, 30; Anani Koko, 23;
Senanu Ashitor Atsikpo, 28; Kwamevi Kagbetor, 37; Louis Etse, 25; Kudzo Akpatsu, 49; and Fianyo Sandema, aged 39.
According to the Volta Regional Police Commander, DCOP Edward Oduro Kwateng, they were arrested for their various roles in the alleged abduction and subsequent ritual killing of 12-year-old Cornelius at Nornyikpor near Ziope.
The body parts, intestines, penis, heart and kidney were absent from Cornelius’ body when it was found at Hunor Kofi’s shrine in Nudowukorpe, near Tadzewu.
How it HappenedÂ
On Saturday, May 22, 2021 at about 7:00am, one Mary Amewonu reported to the Kpetoe Police that her grandson, Cornelius, had gone missing at their village, Nornyikpor, a farming community in the Agotime-Kpetoe District.
Investigation commenced immediately as the community also started a search for the boy. At about 6:30 in the evening, the assemblyman for Atsrulume Electoral area, with the help of five others, arrested suspect Senanu Ashitor Atsikpo, for his alleged involvement in the disappearance of the boy.
The police re-arrested Senanu to assist with investigations. Four days later on May 26, 2021, the police gathered that Senanu and two other accomplices abducted and killed Cornelius for ritual purposes at a shrine at Nudowukorpe near Tadzewu in the Ketu North Municipality.
Police immediately moved to the shrine, but found no one.
On May 31, 2021, the police returned to the shrine with the hope of arresting Senanu’s accomplices and also rescue young Cornelius Negble, but unfortunately, the little boy had been killed.
His head was severed and buried in one of the rooms while the body was kept in a sack which was heavily infested with maggots.
With the help of environmental health officers, the police discovered that the intestines, kidney, heart and penis had been removed.
The body has since been sent to the Police Hospital, Accra for preservation and autopsy.
That same day, some suspects were arrested for their involvement in the plot. Kudzo Akpatsu, 49, father of suspect Morris Etse (now at large);Â Kwamivi Kagbetor, 37 and Louis Etse, 25.
Boy Killed To Fortify ShrineÂ
Further interrogation of the suspects and intelligence gathered by the police revealed that Cornelius was murdered to build a new deity to fortify Hunor Kofi Koko’s shrine. The new deity was to be christened ‘Agbavor’.
To make this come true, Hunor Kofi contacted Senanu Ashitor, a native of Ative, a village near Tadzewu went to assist. Senanu is believed to deal in human parts.
Senanu agreed to the deal and promised human parts to the fetish priest for sacrifices in building the new deity.
Hunor Kofi then directed his brother, Anani Koko and Morris Etse, who is now at large, to meet Senanu at Nornyikpor, Cornelius’ village for the intended human sacrifice.
The Abduction and KillingÂ
Anani and Morris met the mastermind, Senanu as planned.
As a result of poor mobile network, Senanu called the two to meet him at a favourable location.
Coincidentally, a witness in the case eavesdropped their conversation, but could not pinpoint who the target was.
It was after the disappearance of Cornelius, that the witnesses drew the link and informed the police.
On May 22, when the trio, Senanu, Anani and Morris met at Nornyikpor, Senanu called 12-year-old Cornelius Negble to accompany him to a nearby forest.
On their way, Senanu Ashitor grabbed the boy by the neck and forcibly pushed him to ground and called his accomplices who were nearby to assist.
The trio then killed Cornelius, put the body in a sack and conveyed same on a motorbike to Nudowukorpe for the ritual.
Recoveries from the ShrineÂ
After recovering the body from the shrine, the following items were retrieved. One Sanya motorbike with registration number M-19-VR-1348 that was used in conveying the body. A slipper belonging to Senanu Ashitor Atsikpo and a duster belonging to Hunor Kofo Koko.
Apart from this, some dresses belonging to Hunor Kofi Koko was recovered from Senanu Ashitor. On the day of the operation, Senanu requested a set of dresses from Hunor Kofi to replace his which were drenched in blood to avoid suspicion.
Escape and Interpol ArrestÂ
After the arrest of Senanu, four other accomplices were also arrested for their various roles. Kwamevi Kagbetor, 37 and Louis Etse, 25 and Fianyo Sandema, 39. The fourth suspect, Kudzo Akpatsu, 49 is the father of Moris who is on the run.
On hearing the arrest of Senanu, Hunor Kofi Koko, his brother Anani Koko and Moris Etse fled.
Hunor and his brother escaped to Aflao and eventually crossed the border into the Republic of Togo. Moris is still at large.
On 18 June, 2021, Police secured a warrant of arrest and extradition order from the court for the arrest of the escapee suspects in the republic of Togo.
The following day, 19 June, 2021, Interpol Togo succeeded in arresting Hunor Kofi Koko and his brother Anani at Voga in Togo and extradited them to Ghana to assist in investigation and subsequent prosecution.
ProsecutionÂ
Five out of the seven suspects have admitted their roles in the murder of Cornelius Negble.
They further narrated the roles they each played in committing the crime.
All seven suspects have since been arraigned before the Kpetoe District Magistrate Court for committal processes.
His Worship Samuel Essel Walker who presided over the proceedings remanded them into Police custody to re-appear on July 5, 2021.
Security is Shared ResponsibilityÂ
In an address to the media, DCOP Edward Oduro-Kwateng stressed that security was a shared responsibility.
The role of the Police to act decisively, is dependent on information. To this end, the greatest responsibility the public owe Police is timely information.
“Most crimes may be prevented if Police receive information on time,” he noted
To him, “this unfortunate and tragic killing of little Cornelius Negble could have been avoided if Police had received information earlier. Police are more interested in preventing crime than the arrest and prosecution of offenders. Prevention saves time, resources and life.”
That notwithstanding, he assured the public that the Police will do its best to contain crime in the region, “but we appeal for timely information.”
From Fred Duodu, Ho
(k.duodu@yahoo.com)Â