In the small mining community of Manso Watereso, nestled in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region, a sense of unease has settled over residents following the murder of Chinese national Yao Xian.
The 52-year-old Chinese man’s life was tragically cut short on Friday, August 30, when he was found with a gunshot wound to the chest in a nearby bush.
According to eyewitnesses, Yao was last seen riding his motorbike along the Watereso road around 11 am.
It was a routine journey for the Chinese national, who had lived and worked in the community for several years. However, on this fateful day, his journey would end in tragedy.
Authorities were alerted to the scene, and upon arrival, they found Yao’s lifeless body clad in a club T-shirt and black trousers, with blood still oozing from the deep wound.
Despite efforts to save his life, Yao was pronounced dead upon arrival at St. Martin’s Catholic Hospital in Agroyesum.
As investigators began to unravel the events surrounding Yao’s death, a complex web of deceit and betrayal emerged.
Three suspects, identified as employees of the deceased, were arrested and taken into custody. Kwadwo Mensah, 32; Robert Agyei, 29; and Abdullah Mohammed, 45; provided conflicting accounts of the events leading up to Yao’s death, raising further suspicion.
A search of their residences yielded a pump-action gun with serial number ASAR 2883 2014 and seven rounds of live ammunition, found in the possession of Robert Agyei.
Initially, Agyei claimed the gun had never been fired, but police examination revealed otherwise.
When confronted with this evidence, Agyei was unable to provide an explanation, further fueling speculation about his involvement in Yao’s murder.
–BY Daniel Bampoe