Alex Kuranchie, father of Priscilla
Families of the three missing Takoradi girls have given conditions under which they will co-operate with experts undertaking the DNA tests to ascertain the identities of the human remains found in a suburb of the Western Regional capital.
Linda Quayson, elder sister of Ruth Love Quayson, one of the missing girls, said the families would only co-operate when an independent doctor appointed by them is present when the tests are being undertaken by the experts.
A DNA is being carried out to establish whether or not the human remains recovered from a location near an uncompleted house at Kansaworodo near Takoradi, where one of the suspected kidnappers lived, are those of the missing girls.
DNA Test
The DNA tests have been necessitated by the discovery of human remains after the key suspect in the kidnap of the three girls led police officers to a septic tank at Kansaworodo.
“On our part, we have not said anywhere that we will not avail ourselves for the said tests. However, we the families of the three missing girls have resolved that we should be allowed to get an independent doctor present during the said tests,” she stressed.
Samuel Udoetuk Wills is the suspected Nigerian kidnapper who led the police to the septic tank last Friday where some remains were retrieved.
A police statement which later confirmed the operation to retrieve the human remains and a subsequent DNA test to establish the details of the skeletal parts were followed by the Western Regional Police Commander DCOP Redeemer Vincent Dedjoe and other superior officers visiting the families of the missing girls.
The regional commander and his team were said to have informed the families about the development and the need for them to co-operate in the forensic and DNA tests to be conducted.
Where is Ametepey?
Linda Quayson told DAILY GUIDE after the meeting with the top police officers that a certain Ametepey, a detective with the CID, once demanded to know from the families of the missing girls the blood groups of the kidnapped victims.
“We want to know the whereabouts of the CID to ask him some questions,” Linda, who appears to be the spokesperson of the families of the missing girls, said.
Important Questions
“I want to ask whether it is possible for a dead body dumped in a septic tank to get rotten to the extent that the bones would be broken into pieces after eight months or one year. In fact, we don’t understand what is going on,” she said.
She added that when the police visited them on Saturday, they indicated that of the three heads they retrieved, one had a corn-roll hairstyle suspecting to be my sister, and the other had weaved mesh and other one with a weave-on.
“So in effect the police were trying to tell us that the human parts found might be that of the missing girls. But that is what we don’t want to accept. We are still insisting that we should have an independent doctor in the investigations,” she noted.
Blood Infusion
According to Linda Quayson, the CID had already been given the blood groups of the victims in February this year but said “we did not know what they used them for.”
Initially, we thought the girls had been found and were being given blood infusion that was why the CID requested the blood groups.
A Victim’s Father
Alexander Kojo Kuranchie, father of Priscilla Mantebea Kuranchie, another victim, also indicated he would not avail himself to the police for any DNA test.
According to him, prior to the operation, the police could have called the parents to inform them and allow them to even witness what was going on before taking anything from the septic tank.
“But the police took the things from the septic tank to Accra before they came to inform us, so I am in doubt.
“When an independent doctor is present, I will submit myself, but if the police are those going to do the test, I don’t think I will be present,” he indicated.
Another Victim’s Father
Francis Bentum, father of Priscilla Blessing Bentum, the first victim to be kidnapped, remarked: “Yes, we will not avail ourselves for any DNA test” and declined to comment further.
The three girls – Ruthlove Quayson, Priscilla Blessing Bentum and Priscilla Koranchie – were kidnapped between August and December 2018.
The prime suspect, Udoetuk Wills, and his alleged accomplice, John Oji, are currently before a Sekondi High Court on the charges of conspiracy to commit crime, to wit kidnapping and kidnapping.
Police Rebuttal
The police administration posted series of tweets on social media yesterday, debunking claims that the exhumation was done because the key suspect, Udoetuk Wills, gave them that piece of information.
“Police made the discovery as a result of the ongoing efforts at examining several angles of the investigation. Claims that a confession or tip-off to the discovery are untrue,” the posted on Twitter.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi