Killed! Josephine Tanor Asante. Right Inset: Christian Agyei
The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has offered GH?50, 000 as reward package for any informant who will provide the police with credible information that will lead to the arrest of the killers of Josephine Tanor Asante, the slain Public Affairs and Marketing Manager of Tema Port.
Additionally, the Ghana Police Service has also announced a GH¢15,000 bounty for anybody who will volunteer credible information that would help arrest perpetrators of the heinous crime.
A statement issued in Tema and signed by the Acting Director-General of the Authority, Michael Luguje said “GPHA is committed to assisting and hastening the investigative processes of the police by offering the above stated amount as a reward for any person (s) or group that will provide the first meaningful information to the police which will lead to the arrest and conviction of the murderer (s) of Mrs. Josephine Asante.”
“Therefore, anyone with such information may contact the Tema Regional Criminal Investigations Department.”
The Acting Director-General, who described the killing of his subordinate as shocking, expressed appreciation for the support offered by the public, as the police continue to investigate the case.
On January 12, 2019, the former Marketing and Public Affairs Manager attended an end-of-year party organised by GPHA at the Senior Club Staff House, Community 6, Tema.
At the close of the party at about 11:30 pm, the official driver of Josephine drove her in her personal Mercedes Benz saloon car.
The driver later alighted at Michel Camp Bus Stop for her to continue the journey home.
According to the prosecution, the houseboy met Josephine upon her arrival and took a polythene bag she was holding to the kitchen and left to sleep in his room at the boys’ quarters.
The accused could not confirm the time of arrival of the deceased and whether there was someone in the deceased’s Mercedes Benz salon car, the prosecutor said.
The prosecution stated that the accused claimed that at about 3:30 am, he woke up due to ‘unusual’ shouts.
He said when he came out, he saw the rear of a male in black shirt and a pair of jeans running through the living room to the main gate of the house.
The 12-year-old son of the deceased reportedly woke up and together with the accused person, they conducted a search in the house but nothing was found and they went back to sleep.
On January 13, 2018 at about 8:30 am, an attempt to open the door of the room of the deceased was unsuccessful.
The son of the deceased called the driver of his late mother and told him about happenings in the house and he rushed to the house of the deceased.
Upon entering the house, the driver found a bunch of keys allegedly used in opening the main gate to the house at the entrance.
The key was then used to open the bedroom of the deceased who was found in supine position in a pool of blood on the floor.
Crime scene investigators later found a swap of semen, foot and fingerprints which were lifted for analysis and examination.
The prosecutor said the police investigators saw the houseboy burying a polythene bag containing an amount of GH¢430 close to the boys’ quarters in the house.
The police also found the wrist watch of the deceased in the polythene bag.
From Vincent Kubi, Tema