THE Koforidua District Court “A” in the Eastern Regional capital has remanded two out of six fishermen for allegedly drowning a suspected ‘fishing net thief’.
The suspects have been provisionally charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, to wit kidnapping and kidnapping.
They are Teye Joseph, 43, and Kwaku Narh, 38. Their accomplices, namely Gatorgbor, Kennedy, Shortee, and Kwasi Pepe are currently at large.
The victim, according to the police, is yet to be found, but they have bizarrely charged the suspects with conspiracy and kidnapping and said they were still investigating the matter.
Prosecuting, Sergeant George Defia told the court that a fisherman residing at Asikoko reported the accused persons who reside at Kwabena Teye, near Asesewa, in the Upper Manya Krobo District of the region.
According to the prosecutor, on May 7, 2020, at 9:30 a.m., the complainant returned from his fishing expedition only to be informed that the accused persons had arrested his son, Yidekpo Nyanvor, 22, for allegedly stealing a fishing net, and they had tied him with a rope.
He said the accused fishermen tied the victim to the boat and ferried him across the Volta Lake to the deep waters.
The complainant then went to Kwabea Teye to enquire about the whereabouts of the victim and when he could not find him, he lodged a complaint to the Asesewa police.
Upon investigation, the police arrested the two suspects, but the four other accomplices managed to escape.
The suspects told the police in their caution statements that the victim ‘escaped’ and ‘dived’ into the lake… and the assistance of local divers could not trace him.
They have been remanded in prison custody and are expected to appear before the court on June 11, 2020.
Besides, the court issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the four accomplices at large.
FROM Daniel Bampoe, Koforidua