Two Ghanaians, wanted for their alleged involvement in the killing of a seven-year-old boy in the Volta Region, have been arrested by Togolese authorities and handed over to the Ghana Police Service by Interpol.
The suspects, 30-year-old Kofi Koko and 23-year-old Anani Koko were arrested at their hideout at Vugah, a town near the Togolese capital, Lomé.
The two are part of a three-member gang on the police’s wanted list for allegedly kidnapping and killing one Cornelius Doe Negble in the Volta Region.
According to a police statement, efforts are underway to apprehend the third suspect, identified as Morris Etse.
The statement also urged Etse to turn himself in to the police.
“Suspects Hunor Kofi Koko, alias Ando Kofi, aged 30; and Anani Koko, aged 23, on the police wanted list for the kidnapping and murder of one Cornelius Doe Negble in the Volta Region, have been arrested at their hideout at Vugah, a town near Lomé in Togo and handed over to the Ghana Police Service by the Interpol.”
“Efforts are underway to arrest the third suspect, Morris Etse. He is advised to surrender to the nearest Police Station or be fished out from his hide-out.”
Seven persons arrested so far
Seven persons have so far been arrested in connection with the alleged ritual killing.
The deceased, Cornelius Negble, was said to have gone missing on Saturday, May 22, 2021, at about 7.00am.
He was subsequently declared missing after several attempts to search for him proved futile.
According to the Volta Regional Police Commander, DCOP Edward Oduro Kwateng, the suspects were arrested after the Assembly Member for the area led a team to arrest one of the suspects following a tip-off.
The police indicated that investigations revealed the suspects and two other accomplices abducted and killed Cornelius Negble for ritual purposes at a shrine at Nudowukorpe near Tadzewu.
Narrating the shocking incident to the media, DCOP Oduro Kwateng said the remaining six suspects, including a fetish priest, have all been arrested separately in their hideouts.
According to the Regional Police Commander, Interpol in Togo succeeded in arresting some other suspects in the country and extradited them to Ghana to assist in the investigation.
The police told the media that five out of the seven suspects have admitted they played roles in the killing of Cornelius Negble.
The seven suspects have already appeared before the Agortime-Ziope District Magistrate Court for committal proceedings, and the court presided over by Justice Samuel Essel Walker has adjourned the case to 5th July 2021.
Commander Oduro Kwateng further mentioned that on 31 May 2021, police returned to the shrine to effect the arrest of the “abductors and also rescue the victim, Cornelius Negble, but the little boy had been killed, and the head severed and buried in one of the rooms, while the body was kept in a sack which was heavily infested with maggots”.
Further investigation revealed that one of the suspects, Senanu Ashitor aged 28, deals in human parts and had promised to get the fetish priest, Kofi Koko some parts “to perform sacrifices in building a deity to be named Agbevor”.
Exhibits recovered by the police
A search by the police in the shrine helped the police to recover a motorbike with registration number M-19-VR-1348 allegedly used in conveying the body of the victim, a single slipper of Senanu Ashitor, a duster belonging to one of the suspects, Anani Koko and other items.
All the items are currently with the police for evidential purposes.
