Marcus Mawutor Adzahli
The police have revealed how the killers of the Sogakope assemblyman used proceeds of the robbery to purchase guns for future ‘operations’.
The Director-General of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, COP Ken Yeboah, said on Monday that the killers of Marcus Mawutor Adzhali bought two pump-action guns from the proceeds.
This came to light after the leader and mastermind of the crime were arrested by the police over the weekend.
Those arrested included Richard Adikyere, 23-year-old mason from Ada, and Stephen Adzibolo, aka Tseko, 29.
Their arrest brings to seven the number of suspects picked so far in connection with the murder of the assemblyman.
The five already in custody are Emmanuel Hedzro, 25-year-old motor rider; Kofi Zotorvi, Christian Zotorvi, 30-year-old farmer; Michael Sam, 29, and Obed Agornu, 21. They have been charged with conspiracy and murder.
The CID boss who updated the media on the arrest revealed the role each of the suspects played in the attack and murder of the assemblyman.
He said Richard Adikyere, aka Wofa, was the leader of the gang who fired the second shot at the assemblyman using a pump-action gun on the day of the attack on March 1, 2020.
“Stephen Adzibolo, aka Tseko, was the suspect who first shot the chest of the deceased (sic) when he tried to struggle with them,” the police said.
He shot through the window pellets from which were lodged in the head of a baby, the police added.
Continuing, COP Yeboah said Emmanuel Hedzro, who is a motor rider, hatched the plan to rob the assemblyman of his money and asked Richard Adikyere to recruit ‘men’ for the ‘operation’.
Although Hedzro was not at the scene on the day of the attack, he showed the house of the victim to his accomplices before the ‘operation’.
The CID Chief said Kofi Zotorvi arranged and brought in two weapons for the operation and Christian Zotorvi, the 30-year-old farmer, was tasked to keep two weapons before and after the operation, but he was also not at the scene.
“Suspect Michael Sam was recruited by suspect Stephen Adzibolo from Ashaiman for the operation and he took part in the operation,” the police boss said, adding he revealed that the seventh suspect, Obed Agornu, 21, who was also recruited by Stephen Adzibolo from Ashaiman, took active part in the attack.
Three weapons used in the operation were a pump-action gun and two locally manufactured pistols, the police chief disclosed, adding that the suspects admitted that suspect Stephen Adzibolo, Michael Sam and Obed Agornu carried three cement blocks to break the main door and used same to break the safe which contained money.
“After the operation, suspect Richard Adikyere deflated the tyres of three vehicles parked on the compound of the deceased to demobilize anybody from chasing them,” the CID said.
He said the five firearms had all been retrieved by the police, debunking the allegation that the murder was a contract-killing.
He said the suspects later confessed that they used the proceeds to buy more guns.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey