Ekow Kwansah Hayford
Five people suspected to be involved in the gruesome killing of Ekow Kwansah Hayford, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Mfantseman in the Central Region, have reportedly been arrested by the police.
The five were reportedly apprehended by the personnel of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, who are currently firmly holding them in their custody.
According to a credible source in the police, a mobile phone, believed to be owned by the slain lawmaker, was found on the suspects after a search by the police.
Details about the suspects are sketchy but the police source who demanded anonymity stated that he was sure the suspects had a hand in the MP’s murder.
He was gruesomely shot and killed by persons suspected to be armed robbers on the Abeadze-Dominase-Duadzi-Mankessim road on the night of Thursday, October 9 while returning from a campaign programme after filing his nomination to seek re-election on the same day.
Suspects Arrested
The police source disclosed that the security agencies had snippets of information that the killers of the Mfantseman MP had relocated to the Ashanti Region, and they had been tracking them ever since the incident occurred.
Armed with this vital information, the source said the police on Friday started a wild search combing the entire region, and the strategies paid off when the five suspects were located.
For security reasons and investigation purposes, the source did not give the time and exact location where the suspects were picked from.
According to the source, the retrieval of the MP’s mobile phone from the suspects has given the police the confidence that indeed the suspects had a hand in Mr. Kwansah’s fatal shooting.
The source explained to the paper that the police believe that other suspects are still at large and, therefore, it was too early to for the police to disclose the identities of the suspects.
Official Confirmation
Later, the Ghana Police Service confirmed the arrests on Facebook, saying, “Five persons have been arrested in connection with the murder of the MP for Mfantseman Constituency, Hon. Ekow Quansah Hayford.”
The statement said, “They are being taken through lawful police process. Further updates will be given in due time.”
President’s Assurance
President Akufo-Addo, while visiting the bereaved family at Mankessim on Monday, had said that “I have told the IGP that if I don’t see anything in this case what will happen,” he assured the family during the visit, adding “Those who perpetrated the act will surely face the law and will never go scot-free.”
“What has happened has affected me. I know his death is irreplaceable but I assure you that whatever we can do help, we shall do it.”
Otumfuo’s Demand
TheAsantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, barely 24 hours before the arrest of the two suspects, tasked the police to quickly arrest the MP’s killers.
The IGP, James Oppong-Boanuh, had visited the Asantehene at the Manhyia Palace on Thursday, and Otumfuo charged him to arrest the killers of the deceased lawmaker.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi