A 22-year-old man, Yaw Owusu, has been arrested in connection with the alleged murder of one Kwabena Akwanseram Asare at a farming community in the Adansi North District of the Ashanti Region, following alleged misunderstanding over bursting of balloons at a marriage ceremony.
The victim, a driver’s mate believed to be 21 years of age, was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, Supt Yaw Obeng Asubonteng, Adansi Fomena District Police Command, had said.
He told DAILY GUIDE in an interview that police were informed about assault and disturbances at about 6:30 pm on Saturday, December 31, 2016, and found two young men with wounds suggesting that they had been stabbed.
The police chief disclosed that the second victim, who also suffered a stab wound, was treated and later discharged.
Supt Asubonteng said suspect Yaw Owusu, whom an angry mob were baying for his blood, remained in custody after he was whisked away by the law enforcers.
According to the police commander, a certain commercial driver from Tewobabi – another community in the same area – who reportedly impregnated a lady, decided to formalise the amorous relationship with a marriage ceremony at Akwanseram.
He narrated that Yaw Owusu and some of his contemporaries at Tewobabi also attended the ceremony to support the groom.
Whiles the matrimony was going on, the police commander said Yaw Owusu and his gang reportedly went to a nearby community to take in doses of tramore drug, and returned to the venue of the event around 5 p.m.
Supt Asubonteng stated that the suspect and his gang became angry when they found out that the bridal balloons were getting finished and so decided to take control of the leftovers.
This degenerated into confusion with a fight ensuing in the process between the gang and some young men of Akwanseram.
According to the police chief, a witness, who did not want to be named, said he saw the suspect chasing one of the young men – a driver’s mate – with a jack knife aiming to attack him (mate).
In the process, the victim was said to have intervened, but he was viciously attacked as Yaw Owusu fatally stabbed him in a brutal manner on the chest, sening him on the ground, the police commander asserted.
He continued that the suspect again stabbed another person before taking to his heels to seek refuge at a seamstress’ shop and later at a man’s house.
Angry residents of Akwanseram, who did not take kindly to the incident, went berserk as they bayed for the blood of suspect Yaw Owusu who had taken cover at the said house, Supt Asubonteng narrated further.
From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi