Nine individuals have been remanded into prison custody following their appearance in the Tarkwa Magistrate Court One on charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and murder. These accused persons were implicated in the death of Kwadwo Donkor, a taxi driver from Akotom, a community along the Tarkwa-Bogoso highway. Their pleas were not taken, and they will return to court on January 6, 2025, for further proceedings.
The accused persons include Nana Kwabena Agyarko (45), Evans Azure (40), Peter Kwamena Antwi (34), Felix Atsu Davor (38), Sampson Agbodojie (30), Kojo Bonzy (72), Stephen Owusu (38), Kofi Ampabeng (38), and Lucky Mudoo (30). These individuals have various occupations, including teaching, masonry, farming, and driving. While most of the accused reside in Akotom, a village near Tarkwa, Azure is the only one who lives in Camp, a village close by.
The incident that led to Donkor's tragic death occurred on November 8, 2024. The deceased left home with his taxi but never returned after finishing work that day. His employer, a businessman from Huniso, tried calling him multiple times, but his phone remained unanswered. Concerned, the businessman reported the disappearance to the police on November 9, 2024.
As the police began investigating the case, they received intelligence that shed light on the events leading to the murder. On the morning of November 9, 2024, at around 4:00 a.m., a woman named Sheriffa, a suspect who is still on the run, spotted Donkor near her husband’s car in Akotom. For no apparent reason, Sheriffa accused Donkor of being a thief. This accusation led the accused persons and some local youths from Akotom to gather at the scene.
Azure, who was passing by, joined the group and provided a rope from his car, which was used to tie Donkor to an electric pole. The group then subjected the taxi driver to a severe beating with various objects, resulting in his death. After realizing Donkor was no longer alive, the attackers placed his body in a tricycle and discarded it in a bush along the Tarkwa-Bogoso highway, approximately 1.5 kilometers from Akotom.
The investigation into Donkor’s death progressed with a breakthrough when Agyarko was apprehended on November 10, 2024. Initially, he denied any involvement in the crime, but after further questioning, he admitted to his role and identified his accomplices, including Antwi and others who are still on the run. Agyarko also guided the police to the bush where Donkor’s body had been hidden, and they were able to recover the remains, although it had already begun to decompose.
Following this, Azure was also arrested and implicated Antwi and Davor in the crime. Both were subsequently arrested, and the investigation continued to uncover the involvement of the other accused persons. With the help of police intelligence, the authorities identified the remaining individuals involved in the crime, and they were all taken into custody.
At the court session, Prosecuting Police Sergeant Enoch Assan Donkor provided a detailed account of the case, explaining the sequence of events that led to the crime and the arrests. The presiding judge, Mr. Charles Owusu Nsiah, ordered that the accused persons be remanded into custody while the police continue their investigation. The judge also urged the police to ensure they gather sufficient evidence to clarify the roles of the remaining accused persons, including Agbodojie, Bonzy, Owusu, Ampabeng, and Mudoo, in Donkor’s murder.
The next hearing of the case is scheduled for January 6, 2025, and the prosecution has assured the court that they will present further evidence and provide a clearer picture of the involvement of each accused person in the crime. Meanwhile, the community of Akotom and surrounding areas are left grappling with the shock of this brutal murder, which has raised questions about safety and justice in the region.
This case serves as a tragic reminder of the dangers of mob justice and the importance of law enforcement in ensuring that criminals are held accountable for their actions. It also highlights the need for greater awareness and responsibility within communities to prevent such violent acts from taking place.
As the investigation continues, the residents of Akotom and the family of Kwadwo Donkor are hoping for justice and for the perpetrators of this heinous crime to be held responsible.
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