A 24-year-old man who went missing for sometime in the Essikado-Ketan Constituency of the Western Region, has been found dead.
The deceased, Ebenezer Donkor, was found dead at Eshiem, a community near Kojokrom in the constituency.
His lifeless body was discovered under a high-tension pole with visible bruises and marks believed to be from severe beatings.
According to family sources, Ebenezer had reportedly left home last Saturday afternoon with two neighbours, whose names were given only as Hamza and Pisto, in search of job.
However, the two perceived friends returned home the following day without the deceased.
Hamza and Pisto allegedly told the deceased’s family members that they were attacked by unknown assailants who attempted to rob them of their phones.
They claimed they fled and left Ebenezer behind. The two friends agreed to take some family members of the deceased to the location where the alleged attack occurred.
However, while leading the family members to the scene, the two friends reportedly absconded.
Meanwhile, some of the community members have alleged that, one of the friends, Hamza, is a known thief who has long been on their wanted list.
Members of the community therefore suspected that the deceased was lured into the area for criminal activity but the friends might have fled when the situation turned violent.
They insisted that Hamza is notorious for theft and may have dragged the deceased into trouble.
“Hamza is a well-known thief here. Just a few days ago, he stole someone’s phone, and we have been searching for him. We believe Ebenezer may have unknowingly followed him and lost his life,” they asserted.
The body of the deceased has since been conveyed to the mortuary.
Ebenezer’s mother, Theresa Baidoo, said she had often cautioned her son about the company he kept.
“He is my first child. Though he rented a room with his girlfriend in the same community, I always warned him about his friends, but he would not listen.
“I was told he had gone missing, but was later found dead,” she indicated.
His girlfriend, Naomi Andoh, who is said to be one month pregnant, recounted her last communication with him.
“Around 4 p.m. on Saturday, he left home with our neighbours Hamza and Pisto. I was chatting with him until his phone went off around midnight.
“I did not l hear from him again until I was called and told his body had been found. We have lived together for two years, and now he is gone, leaving me alone,” she said.
Assembly member for the area, Bismark Eshun, expressed worry over rising cases of robbery in the community.
“We have been facing a lot of theft cases here. I was informed someone had been lynched, and when we arrived, it turned out to be Ebenezer.
“From what the family members said, he is not a thief, but his friends are known to be. I cannot say what exactly led to his death,” he indicated.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi