The burial ceremony of a male adult at Korle Wokon in Accra came to a standstill last Friday, after police officers stormed the grounds to seize the coffin the deceased was to be buried with.
The coffin, according to the police, reportedly went missing from the shop of its owner at Ayigbe Town in Accra at dawn on Friday only for it to be discovered at the funeral ground.
This has led to the arrest of one George Amoah, a carpenter who is suspected to have stolen the coffin to assist with investigations.
Information gathered by the DAILY GUIDE has it that the complainant who is also a carpenter, visited his shop at Ayigbe Town around 5am on Friday and discovered that one of his coffins, white in colour and valued at GH¢2,200, had been stolen.
A report was then lodged with the Korle-Bu Police Station for investigations.
Sources said around 8:30am, police intelligence led them to the shop of suspect Amoah, who is alleged to have stolen the casket.
Upon interrogations, Amoah confessed that he stole the coffin and led the police to the bereaved family he sold it to.
“Upon arrival at the funeral ground at Korle Wokon, the police found the coffin beside a dead body that had been laid in state ready to be put into the coffin for burial,” the source said.
DSP Efia Tenge, the Regional Police Public Relations Officer, when contacted, confirmed the story and added that the deceased family understood the explanation of the personnel who stormed the funeral ground to demand the return of the coffin.
“The coffin was returned and photograph of it taken for evidential purposes but suspect is in police custody assisting with investigations,” DSP Tenge clarified.
By Linda Tenya-Ayettey