Serial killer to appear in court
At the tender age of 18, precisely on August
17, 1986, he had his first brush with the law when he was cited in a Dansoman
rape case.
He ran away but was arrested two days later and
charged with the offence. He faced trial at the Accra Circuit Court B and was
sentenced to nine months in hard labour.
Three months after his release from prison, he
committed a similar offence and added a new dimension to it by robbing the
victim as well. Incidentally, this also happened at Dansoman, and he was
convicted and served three years at Nsawam Prisons.
While serving the sentence the young man met
another prisoner by name John Bita, whom he served in prison.
Realizing his friend’s intelligence, meekness
and willingness to learn, Bita taught him carpentry and helped him to find a
job at Logs and Lumber Company in Kumasi, after his release. It was there that
his history of serial killings began.
He raped and killed a number of women,
especially in the vicinity of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and
Technology. Most of his victims’ bodies were rotten before they were found.
The man later left Kumasi for Dansoman, Accra,
in 1989, and not too long after, the Accra serial murders began in earnest.
This is the man whose trial will begin in Accra
on January 28, 2002 to answer for his self confessed crimes. He is Charles Ebo
Quansah who comes from Komenda in the Central Region.
Charles Ebo Quansah, the suspect self-confessed
serial killer, who claims to have murdered eight women in the serial killings
saga, will be arraigned before court on January 28, 2002. On that day, a
capacity crowd is expected to witness what has been described as the trial of the
decade.
And for the first time, the public will have
the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the man who has reportedly taken the
lives of eight women. Charged with murder as directed by the office of the
Attorney-General, Quansah also known as Paapa Kwabena Ebo has since his arrest,
remained in prison custody. He was arrested in May last year.
In an interview with “The Spectator,” Mr David
Asante-Apeatu, Head of Operations, Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of
the Ghana Police Service described Quansah as dangerous.”
His record with the police shows that Quansah
has served two different rape sentences at James Fort and Nsawam Prisons
respectively even before his involvement in the serial killings.
Mr Apeatu stated that Quansah is very normal and
there is proof of him working with very knowledgeable people until his arrest.
He debunked the notion by some people that he was insane.
Obviously, police investigations into the case
provide vital information that will help women to avoid falling prey to serial
killers in the future. “The Police would educate the public on the
investigations carried out so far on the series of events that led to the
arrest of Quansah and how he carried out his killings”, Mr Apeatu said.
But according to Mr Asante-Apeatu, this would
not take place until after the trail. “Although Quansah has not mentioned any
accomplices, the police do not doubt the involvement of other suspects.”
But from Mr Apeatu, experience has taught him
that serial killings could be the handiwork of a single person. Quansah, a
36-year-old man, a driver mechanic, mason and a carpenter has reportedly,
confessed to killing eight of the women in the mysterious serial killings that
have rocked Accra and Kumasi since 1993. So far, his victims are not yet known
by the public. But these may emerge when the trial fully begins.
The murders occurred mainly at Dansoman, Adenta
and Mataheko, all suburbs of Accra and in Kumasi. Before Quansah’s arrest,
Ghanaians were worried as the police were virtually, at their wits end as to
who was behind the killings.
It became obvious that the police alone could
not solve the problem single-handedly without public cooperation and support.
The killing of women for ritual purposes were reported once in a while, but the
serial nature of these murders was a real enigma that needed to be unraveled.
On December 17, 1998, residents of Mataheko
sparked off a mob action in their area against resident aliens alleged to be
behind the killings. Madam Adwoa Kyeraa, 45, had been found dead that morning
at a hotel suspected to be occupied by aliens only a few days after a similar
death had occurred in that area.
The nature of the killing was similar to what
pertained in the case of 16 earlier deaths, which had occurred within the same
vicinity since March that year. The Police, denied the allegation of the
murder, claiming that Madam Kyeraa had died from hypertension as indicated by a
pathologist’s report.
In any case, people were arrested in connection
with the death and the Attorney General’s office was reported to be handling
the dockets.
The killings did not stop as Ghanaians
witnessed the death of yet another woman. And the police persisted in their
denial that the murders were the work of serial killers. This outraged the
public who felt the police were just covering up their inability to track down
the perpetrators.
The public outcry intensified as news of the
murder of yet another woman got to Ghanaians. People took to the streets to
demonstrate their outrage and disgust. Individuals were lynched at the least
suspicion of their involvement in connection with the murders. A restaurant
belonging to a foreigner was set ablaze as it was believed to be connected with
the killings.
At an point in time, women irrespective of
their political, social or economic background came together, took to the
streets and demanded the end to the murders or in default a resignation by the
then Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Peter Nanfuri.
A number of non-governmental organizations in
the country also protested against the gruesome murders. The oganisations
included the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Amnesty International, Ghana
section, Ghana Employers Association, Business and Professional Women, The Ark
Foundation and Network of Women’s Human Rights Organisation (NETRIGHT).
They felt the government was not doing enough
to protect the women, and called on the government, the security agencies and
parliamentarians to consider the serial killings as a national crises and
deploy all available forces to take effective measures to apprehend the
culprits.
The situation became more precarious as the
perpetrators spread their tentacles to other suburbs of the city. Every woman
was now at risk and fear reigned.
Results of post mortem examinations carried out
on the victims indicated that most of them died of similar causes:
Strangulation, Carbonate poisoning, Septicaemia and Severe Pulmonary
Congestion. The then Parliament was compelled to hold a debate on how to deal
with the problem.
A Ghana-based African Commission on Health and
Human Rights Promoters (CAPSDH) appealed to its human rights counterpart
organization throughout the world to help arrest the situation.
Also worried about the problem, the Methodist
Church pledged an amount of ¢5 million as a reward for anyone who would
volunteer information that would lead to the arrest of the serial killers.
Moreover, the then Attorney General and
Minister of Justice, Dr Obed Asamoah, gave the public the assurance that a
solution to the problem was in the pipeline. But it never came and President
Kufuor’s administration inherited the problem. It was one of the questions that
was very dear to his heart just as he assumed office, promising the nation that
they would do all they could to arrest the situation.
Consequently, the new government solicited the
assistance of the American Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to find a
quick solution to the problem. However, in the midst of all these efforts, the
perpetrators still operated until Quansah was finally arrested. His arrest,
detention and confession ended the saga of deaths, mourning and burials in the
capital city. And it confirmed one thing, that indeed the deaths were the
handiwork of serial killers but who the accomplices of Quansah are is yet to be
known. Here too, his trial may throw some light.
Madam Adwoa Kyeraa marked the first of the
thirty-two or more deaths of women recorded as victims of the serial killings
within the period. However, another murder of a woman occurred after Quansah’s
arrest but under different circumstances. The body of the unidentified woman
was wrapped in a sack and was discovered in the Densu River.
The question that is being asked is this: Was
Quansah alone in this, or was he operating with an accomplice or accomplices?
Indeed, this is the multi-million dollar question, to which Ghanaians are
eagerly awaiting an answer.
GRi…/
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The Students Loan Scheme (SLS) is to be
repackaged to ensure its sustenance. Under the proposal from the Restructuring
Committee for the scheme, interest free loans will be available to extremely
qualified students pursuing programmes designed as crucial for national
development.
In addition, the physically challenged and
exceptionally needy students would be catered for. Furthermore, the proposal envisages
two; one for students’ maintenance and the other to supplement programmes being
pursued.
To date, only ¢20 billion out of a total of
¢523.5 billion disbursed as loans to students has so far been recovered since
the SLS was introduced in the 1988-89 academic year.
The total amount is made up of ¢231.1 billion
in loans and ¢292.4 billion in accrued interest. This revelation was contained
in an interim report submitted by a committee tasked to come up with modalities
to restructure the SLS.
According to the committee, the scheme in its
present form is unsustainable and can jeopardize the future of the Social
Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) pension scheme.
To sustain the scheme, the committee has
recommended that the proposed company, to effectively manage the scheme, should
start operations next year.
Mr Paul Effah, Chairman of the Committee to
Restructure the SLS presented the report to the Minister of Education,
Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, in Accra on Friday. The report recommended
that the company should start operations, from the beginning of the 2002/2003
academic year with new students while the SSNIT takes care of the continuing
students.
It said the company, which should have a
nine-member board of directors under a chairman to be appointed by the
government, will administer both interest-free and interest bearing loans.
It added that in both cases, recommendations
from heads of secondary or technical schools attended, and appropriate tertiary
institutions should be required. For the second category of loans, the report
said the other catergories of students should be eligible.
It also emphasized that under the restructured
scheme, loans should no longer be automatic and uniform but rather graded in
relation to the level of need and cost of the programmes being pursued by
students.
The report also recommended that the loans
should be in two forms, one for students maintenance and the other to
supplement or meet the cost of the programme being pursued. “The cost of
various programmes computed by the National Council for Tertiary Education
(NTCE) should be used as a guide to determine the level of loans to students
pursuing the various programmes,” adding that “postgraduate students whose
work, involves extensive field and research work should be granted higher
levels of loans than their undergraduate counterparts.”
On repayment of the loans by beneficiaries, the
report recommended that repayment should start six months after national
service and deductions made by employers at source to the company.
Given the difficulty in finding guarantors, the
report recommended that the number of guarantors should be reduced from three
to one while individuals who contribute to SSNIT should be allowed to use their
contributions to guarantee their loans.
It also suggested that the possibility of using
other forms of guarantees such as insurance policies, share certificates and
other collateral securities acceptable to the company should be explored.
To minimise borrowing default, the report
recommended to government to appeal to the various embassies to demand
certificate of clearance issued by the company from graduates intending to
travel outside the country.
Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi thanked the committee
for its effort and asked members to expedite action in completing the final
report. He said the ministry is determined to present a memorandum on the final
report to Cabinet for consideration, particularly the legal aspects of the
company to enable it to commence work next year as planned.
Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi agreed with the various
contents in the report but said the composition of the board of directors of
the company will be looked at. He asked the committee to look at how much will
be required as seed money for the company and appealed to SSNIT to help the
government with funds when implementation is due.
More…/
The Chief Executive of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital
in Accra, Dr Henry Holdbrook-Smith, has thrown a challenge to herbalists who
claim to have a cure for HIV/AIDS to submit their preparations for clinical
tests at the hospital.
He, however, stated that such drugs should have
been registered with the Food and Drugs Board and certified by the Centre for
Scientific Research into Plant Medicine at Mampong Akuapem.
Speaking in an interview on the sale of herbal
drugs to HIV/AIDS patients and their relatives at the Fevers Unit of the
hospital, Dr Holdbrook-Smith said it is difficult for relatives who are anxious
to ease the suffering of their loved ones to understand that a combination of
orthodox medicine and herbal preparations for the treatment of ailments may
result in complication.
He said even though the hospital frowns on this
practice, the relatives manage to administer herbal drugs to patients at the
least opportunity. Dr Holdbrook-Smith said the scourge of the disease is a
worry to health authorities and particularly to practitioners, and “we are all
desperately looking for a cure,” adding that “we aware of herbal drugs which
can manage opportunistic diseases of patients such as malaria, diarrhoea and
anaemia.
“There is still no empirical evidence that any
herbal drug can cure an HIV positive patient. This is why, in my opinion, we
should give patients to herbalist who have claims of cure to ascertain the
truth or otherwise of their claim”, he stressed.
The chief executive further stated that this
will also help flush out the fake herbalists who are using claims of cure to
exploit patients. Asked whether this does not flout the ethics of the medical
profession, Dr Holdbrook-Smith argued that “what we are all looking for is a
lasting solution to this pandemic and people are already secretly using the
herbal drugs in the hospitals anyway.”
On the issue of patency, he said, when proven
potent the hospital will assist such herbalists on modalities to acquire
patency, adding that most herbalists have an erroneous notion that claiming for
patency is cumbersome and expensive.
“It is not expensive to claim patency for one’s
original products. “The country has a qualified patency lawyer, Mrs Betty
Mould-Iddrisu, who has proven to be very effective and up to the task,” he
said.
Dr Holdbrook-Smith described the rate at which
HIV/AIDS cases are reported in the hospital as very scary and that apart from
some referrals from other hospitals and the ones detected upon request by
doctors at the hospital, most of them come at the advanced stage of the
disease.
He said last year, the Out-Patient Department
(OPD) of the hospital recorded 1,641 HIV/AIDS cases out of which 235 died. He
said apart from children who contracted it at birth, the victims were between
the ages of 16 to 45.
According to Dr Holdbrook-Smith, out of the
total number of victims who contracted the disease last year, 751 were males
with 1013 being females. He said since there is a high possibility of
preventing mother-to child transmission, it is important to promote voluntary
testing, particularly among expectant mothers and prospective pregnant women.
GRi…/
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Rampage at Himan…two killed, 100 arrested
About 100 people were arrested and 20 guns, 12
catridges and other offensive weapons seized, when a team of policemen and
soldiers swooped on Himan, near Prestea at dawn on Wednesday.
The swoop followed a rampage by the youth of
Himan last Thursday, December 27, which left two people dead, the chief’s
palace vandalized and the District Chief Executive’s (DCE) official vehicle
burned.
A caller from Tawkwa, who pleaded anonymity,
told the Times in Takoradi that last Thursday the Wassa West DCE, Mr Emmanuel
Kwasi Ayensu, decided to attend the funeral of the wife of a Mr Amos Amo at
Himan.
The rampage, according to the caller, was
triggered off by the refusal of Bogoso Gold Limited (BGL), which is operating
in the area to contribute towards the welfare of the youth and the silence of
the chiefs and elders on the matter.
The caller said co-incidentally, the DCE bumped
into the clash and the angry youth called on him to look into their complaint,
which he assured them that he would.
GRi…/
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One year
after assuming the highest office in the land, President John Kufour remains
the same free-and-easy-to-approach person.
Last year, just before he was sworn in as the
second president of the forth republic of Ghana, the President personally
received “The Mirror” team that called on him for an interview.
It was not different this year when the team
once again called on him on New Year’s Day. He did not hesitate when their
presence was announced and he personally invited the team into his living room.
Contrary to the team ‘s expectations of seeing
a President gorgeously dressed and seated in a “presidential” lounge with all
its extras waiting his “subjects” to pay him homage, here was President Kufour
spotting a simple pair of shorts and shirt in sandals, waiting on the porch to
welcome the reporters into his house.
This was just the beginning. Upon entering the
President was joined by the First Lady, and together, they officially welcomed
“The Mirror” team and made sure they were comfortable.
The President who clearly recognized the team
that visited him last year asked that they go straight to business. Although
his human relations has not changed, the same cannot be said of the President’s
social life.
“I can’t go visiting friends too easily or very
often. I have to go along with security agents and this tends to be awkward.
Similarly, my friends are not able to come as before because they have to be
cleared before they get to me. I have security 24 hours all over the place
except when I am in the bathroom or when I am in my bedroom.”
On whether he misses his friends, the President
explained that his timetable is so full that he does not miss much. “The pace
of the Presidency is so fast so you have to count your self lucky with the
snatches you get.”
Asked if he still has any social life,
President Kufour replied that the Presidency is a very busy one, which includes
attending cocktails, dinners and lunches among others.
“I take them in stride. I meet a lot of people
from all over the country and outside. Occasionally I go to church but not as
often as before. I even attended the Kojo Antwi concert on December 24th.”
On whether there are any trappings of the
Presidency he would rather do away with, Mr Kufuor explained that the
Presidency is an institution. “There is logic to what one may consider as a
trapping. One will therefore have to adjust. Your time must be regulated for
you otherwise everything will be out of gear and become cumbersome.”
The President, who is a sports enthusiast, says
he is not able to pursue his hobby anymore. “I take to sports. I enjoy soccer,
table tennis, and volleyball but at this stage one is not able to do any active
sport. I now do some exercises. I go on to the threadmill and bicycle.”
The President’s day usually starts with briefs
from his security chiefs. He later meets with his ministers who have matters to
discuss and then attend to party officials or advisors.
“I later go to my office for regular
administrative work. There is a cabinet meeting every fortnight, held on
Thursdays. Sometimes, I receive the credentials of ambassadors, inaugurate
boards, and address functions among others. I have a time table that I follow.”
The President’s daily schedule usually ends by
six o’clock in the evening and he either stays on in the office, attend
receptions or go home.
Asked where he had his vacation last year, the
President said he stayed at home. I didn’t go anywhere. I stayed at home. I
realised that I need to rest since I was working more than the normal working hours.
It was because we had just taken office and we were over working. I was working
everyday through weekends without breaks. So I decided to take three days off
to rest.”
Apart from Hon Dr Kwame Addo Kufour, the
Defence Minister, the President said he is used to having nine siblings made up
of four males and five females.
“Now there are eight of us. These are four
males and four females. My eldest sister is Nana Agnes Addo Kufour, the spouse
of the late Asantehene, Sir Nana Osei Agyeman-Prempeh, the second is Professor
Emeritus Francis Addo-Kufour, Chairman of the University Council of Kwame
Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and Mrs Rebecca Dodoo, wife of the
late Registrar of the University of Ghana who lives in the United Kingdom.
He named others as Mrs Cecilia Campbell, a
lawyer in the United Kingdom, George Addo Kufour, a businessman and Mrs
Josephine Kankam of Kumasi.
Mr Kufour says his work, as President has not
affected his marital life at all. “We are still very close. We live together
and we go out together. I make most travels outside alone since the invitations
are usually extended to me alone. But wherever it is possible, I go with my
wife. She has been very supportive and I am grateful to her.”
On a lighter note when asked if he still shares
his bedroom with his wife, President Kufour humorously responded “we do not
only share the room but also we share the same bed. The bed is very big and it
is able to accommodate both of us.”
The first couples have five children made up of
three males and two females and eight grand children. The eldest child, J. Addo
Kufour, 37, who used to work with the Price Water House in the United Kingdom,
was expected to arrive in the country on Friday, he has the intention to settle
in Ghana. The second, Nana Ama Gyamfi, formerly of the UK as a career guidance
counselor, has since relocated at home.
The rest, Saah Kufour, sociology graduate from
the London School of Economics, Agyekum Kufour who lives in New Orleans, USA and
the youngest Owusu Afriyie Kufour, is an accounting student at Rutgers
University, New Jersey, USA are in for the Xmas holidays.
The President said the volume of his work has
increased considerably but he is equal to the task. He said by his position, he
has the mandate to take decisions with far-reaching consequences but he always
tries to be cautious in dealing with issues knowing that his decisions affect
the society at large.
He expressed satisfaction about the ready
support he enjoys from members of his government and other institutions of
state, particularly the chiefs and people of this country who have contributed
immensely to ensure the government runs effectively.
“All in all, I am impressed so far that the
nation is with me and we are managing our government with success”
Finally, the President said he has declared
this year a period for hard work to bring about the needed transformation in
the lives of the people.
Accordingly, he said, the NPP administration
will begin to implement its vision for the country in order to build upon the
economic gains so far achieved.
The
Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh I.C. Quaye, has called on opinion
leaders to put an immediate halt to exploitative child labour.
The Regional Minister said the practice gives
the children a bleak future and forces them to become liabilities to the
government.
This was contained in a speech read on his
behalf during the President’s end-of-year party for children at Bortianor in
the Greater Accra Region.
The children were given food items, exercise
books and pens during the celebration. Sheikh I.C. Quaye said the nation’s
economic constraints do not give room for denying children access to education.
He said government is focusing on strengthening
the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) and that soon the law on
childhood policy will soon be passed to ensure that more children of
school-going age are catered for.
He continued that plans are underway to
establish early childhood day-care centres, in both the rural and urban centres
in collaboration with the district assemblies and civil society groups. He
therefore asked the children to take their studies seriously and be obedient.
The District Chief Executive for the Ga
District, Mr S.O. Attoh, who was the chairman for the occasion said child
trafficking across the seas for fishing and other commercial activities has
affected the intake of children into schools and contributed to increased
school drop-outs in Bortianor, Kokrobite, Oshie and other fishing communities
in the region.
He said if this not checked the country is
going to lose a lot of its human resources like doctors, teachers,
agriculturists, engineers and accountants. Mr Attoh asked parents to do
everything in their power to send their children to school.
More…/
Assembly
members of the Abura Asebu Kwamankese District of the Central Region have been
asked to go for voluntary HIV/AIDS test.
The presiding Member of the assembly, Mr
Maxwell Baidoo, who made the call, said this would demonstrate the principle of
leadership by example and encourage the people in the communities to go for the
test. He was speaking at the assembly’s meeting at Abura Dunkwa.
Mr Baidoo said if people know their HIV status
they would be able to live more cautious lives and avoid contracting or
spreading the disease. He noted that the disease is still incurable and urged
all to join in the education of the communities saying that its spread could
have devastating effect on the communities.
The presiding member also urged the assembly
members to put their differences aside and work for the total development of
the country.
The District Chief executive, Mr Andrew Mensah
said the assembly would mobilise NGOs in AIDS prevention programmes in the
district and support them with the one per cent of the common fund allocated
for the prevention of AIDS.
He said the revenue for the assembly has increased
from ¢4 million a month to 10 million cedis.
He said measures would be put in place to
further increase the revenue collection to ensure that development activities
are executed as planned. He said the assembly has completed some educational
and health infrastructure while projects such as market stalls and schools are
under construction. He called for the support of the members to ensure
efficient execution of these projects.
GRi…/
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