The suspected kidnappers
DGN Online has gathered from security sources that out of the eight persons arrested in connection with the kidnapping of the two Canadian women, only four are the ‘real’ culprits.
Sources say the four are Seidu Mba, a Ghanaian, and the three Nigerians.
One of the Nigerians has been identified as Sampson Aghaor while the identities of the other two are yet to be known.
According to DGN Online‘s sources, police were still working to establish the “involvement” of the three other suspects that have been arrested as well.
It has been gathered that one person among the three is a driver, another one a mechanic and the third person a ‘worker’ of a car rental company.
DGN Online is equally informed that as at yesterday, June 13, 2019, the police had taken statements of each of the eight suspects.
The suspects are likely to appear before court today, June 14, in line with constitutional provision that a suspect should not be kept in police custody for more than 48-hours after his or her arrest without a bail or sent to court for trial.
It would be recalled that five Ghanaians and three Nigerians were placed in police custody after their arrests in Kumasi on Wednesday, June 12, 2019 in connection with the kidnappings of the two Canadian women.
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, briefed the media on Wednesday in Accra, as he gave updates on the rescue mission of the two ladies.
The Minister did not give further details on the identities of the eight suspects but assured that legal processes would be followed in ensuring justice is served.
Duration For Rescue Mission
The Minister had told the media that it a took a National Security team 25 minutes to rescue the women from a house at Kanyasi, a suburb of Kumasi.
Team Members
The Security team comprised Bureau of National Investigation, Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service, the Special Weapons And Tactics Unit, Defense Intelligence.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said there was no support from security experts from Canada as earlier reported.
He said Canadians were brought into the country to explore ways in which they could help the Ghanaian security operatives to rescue the ladies but it turned out National Security could handle the operation.
He also denied that the Canadians provided satellite data to aid the rescue of the women.
The Minister confirmed DGN Online‘s earlier report that there were gunshots from the compound the suspects were being accommodated.
He further confirmed DGN Online‘s report that another Nigerian suspected to be the ringleader in the kidnapping of the three Takoradi girls, John Orji has been arrested in Togo.
He said a Ghanaian was providing them accommodation for the kidnappers.
According to him, at the end of the operation, the two Nigerians who were holding the Canadians were subdued and the third Nigerian was arrested later.
Victims
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah had indicated that the two Canadian women were brought to Accra and going through due medical checks at a health facility.
Lauren Patricia Catherine Tilley, 19, and Bailey Jordan Chitty, 20, both students working as volunteers in Ghana for an international development organisation, Youth Challenge International, were allegedly abducted recently and taken to unknown destination by some gun-wielding men.
The captors had ambushed the young women on a driveway at Ahodwo-Nhyiaeso near the Royal Gulf Club in Kumasi, whilst returning from a food joint in an Uber car.
They were bundled into a Toyota Camry saloon car and whisked away after stepping out of the car to go to their hostel at the Silver Spring avenue.
That prompted the Canadian Government to swiftly issue a travel advice for its citizens traveling to Ghana, warning of “violent crimes” in the West African nation.
BY Melvin Tarlue