THE VICTIMS: Priscilla Blessing Bentum, Priscilla Mantebea Koranchie and Ruth Love Quays
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) has made a major breakthrough in rescuing the three Takoradi missing girls by arresting the prime suspect in the entire sordid episode.
The suspected kidnapper of the three girls was arrested in Togo through a special operation by the Ghanaian police, DAILY GUIDE has learnt.
DAILY GUIDE gathered that the suspect, whose name has only been given as John, is one of the masterminds of the kidnapping of the three girls.
The suspect, according to sources, has been brought to Accra by the police and is being held to assist in investigations.
He is alleged to have transported the girls to the eastern part of Nigeria after kidnapping them, and the GPS is struggling to get the exact location where they are being kept in that country.
The victims, namely Ruth Love Quayson, Priscilla Blessing Bentum and Priscilla Koranchie, have been in captivity for several months.
Priscilla Blessing Bentum was first kidnapped on 17th August, 2018, while Ruthlove Quayeson was kidnapped on December 4, 2018.
Priscilla Mantebeah Koranchie was also kidnapped on 21st December 2018.
DAILY GUIDE’s investigations revealed that when the CID announced to the media some weeks ago that it had located the girls, it had information that the girls had been transported to Nigeria and it was actually looking for the exact location.
Addressing journalists at a press conference on
Tuesday, April 2, 2019, the Director-General of the CID, COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa
Addo-Danquah, indicated that the police had located the whereabouts of the
girls but did not disclose the exact location for security reasons.
She said: “It has taken us over three months to
even identify where the ladies are, and what we don’t want to do is to jeopardise
the safety of that. So we are working very hard. All the stakeholders are on
board and hopefully the girls will be brought back safely.”
The prime suspect was ambushed in Togo by CID operatives and brought to Ghana, but police sources declined to make further comments on the matter.
DAILY GUIDE indicated that John helped Samuel Udoetuk-Wills, who was arrested earlier in connection with the missing girls, to escape from police cells.
According to security sources, Udoetuk-Wills told the police that John conveyed the girls to Nigeria and that his arrest would lead to the rescue of the girls.
The 28-year-old Nigerian, Udoetuk-Wills, who has been accused of kidnapping the three girls in Sekondi/Takoradi, was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment for escaping from lawful custody and causing damage to public property.
Sting Operation
DAILY GUIDE gathered that CID launched a manhunt for the suspect after it received information that John had taken the girls to Nigeria.
According to sources, the CID decided to search neighbouring countries for the suspect, adding that the suspect frequented Benin, Togo and Ghana after conveying the girls to Nigeria before his arrest.
Sources said the security personnel disguised themselves in the sting operation and collaborated with other security agencies to apprehend the suspect.
By Melvin Tarlue