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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Ofosu- Ampofo Grilled On Kumasi Kidnapping, Fires

Samuel Ofosu Ampofo

The National
Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was last Wednesday grilled
by detectives at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) about the
kidnapping of an Indian businessman and the fires which gutted the Kejetia and
Asafo markets recently.

The questions
were posed as part of investigations being conducted by the detectives when a
suspect reportedly mentioned his name as being the brain behind the kidnapping
and the arson.

When he was
invited, his party lawyers and party elders took a position that he was not
going to honour the invitation.

It took a
warrant from a court of law to have him arrested before he answered questions
concerning the ongoing investigations.

The NDC
created an impression that the party chairman turned himself in when it became obvious
that an arrest warrant had been secured to forcibly pick him up.

Details of
exactly what transpired when he was bungled to the CID Headquarters in Accra were
contained in a statement issued by the party’s Director of Communications,
Kakra Essamuah, who said the national chairman denied the allegations during
the said interrogations.

Interesting Details

For those who
were eager to learn about the details about what the police are seeking from
Mr. Ofosu- Ampofo, a statement from the party has revealed such important information.

Hiding behind
alibis, the party chairman told a crack squad of interrogators that he was not
present at where the crimes took place on the said dates – April 19 to 25,
2019.

Supporting Alibis

Supporting the
alibis, the communications director said the chairman was attending to private
matters in Tema and the United Kingdom at the time the crimes occurred.

With regard to
the rare insight into what unfolded when the CID hosted their arrested suspect,
the NDC statement went on: “Under interrogation today, Chairman Ofosu-Ampofo,
after refreshing his memory with entries in his diary and passport, told the
Police that from the 18th of April to the 21st of April, he was at the annual
Easter Convention of the Church of Pentecost at Nungua, which was organised by
the Teshie-Nungua branch of the church.

“And
thereafter on Easter Monday, 22nd April, he emplaned for a private trip to the
United Kingdom. He returned on Saturday, 27th April, just early enough so he
could lead the NDC delegation to Peduase on Monday, 29th April,  for the meeting with the NPP and the Peace
Council in the encounters intended to eliminate vigilantism.”

Confronting Evidence

It was gleaned
from the NDC statement that on the said date of his appearance at the CID
headquarters, he was confronted with pictures of two suspects who mentioned him
as being behind the kidnapping of the Indian and the arson.

This encounter
with the CID, the second appearance, took place last Wednesday during which
according to the statement, “Chairman Ofosu-Ampofo flatly denied these
allegations and asserted that he did not know the said suspects; he had  not conspired with anybody to burn markets or
kidnap anyone, and also he was not even in Kumasi during that time.”

Unable to
provide convincing alibis, he was requested to do so as soon as he was able to
recollect his exact movements during the period under review.

Refreshing Memory

After refreshing
his memory with entries in his diary and passport, he provided his
interrogators with the details as aforementioned.

At the end of
the second encounter, Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo was urged to return in a fortnight for
the continuation of the interrogation.

Cooperation

Chairman
Ofosu-Ampofo of the NDC said he would cooperate with the police but added that
he had nothing to do with the kidnapping of the Indian and the torching of the
two markets in Kumasi.

First Trial

For a man
already standing trial after being charged for threat of harm, conspiracy to
commit harm, riot and assaulting a public officer, these questions on a
different subject have sparked heated political debate.

He has already
made two appearances at the CID headquarters in respect of his alleged kidnapping
of the Indian and the arson at Kejetia and Asafo markets.

It feels
auspicious that the spate of abductions and arson took place on the heels of
the NDC chairman’s leaked audio in which he laid out the party’ chilling strategy
for the 2020 elections.

Among the strategies are the creation of a general state of insecurity in the country through kidnappings and arson, and verbal attacks on public officials like the chairman of the National Peace Council and Electoral Commission boss, Jean Mensa.

By A.R. Gomda

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