A
two-member medical team from the Police Hospital in Accra
yesterday arrived at the Western Regional Police Headquarters in Sekondi, Western
Region to collect DNA samples from the families of the four kidnapped girls in
the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.
The
team arrived around 1:30 p.m. following the assurance by the acting Inspector-General
of Police, Mr. James Oppong-Boanuh, to thoroughly investigate the matter when
he paid a visit to the families of the four missing girls last Tuesday.
The
DNA samples were to help the police determine the identity of some human
remains recently retrieved from a septic tank at Kansaworodo, a suburb of
Takoradi, where the key suspect, Samuel Udoetuk Wills, resided.
A
fourth set of remains was also discovered at Nkroful Ridge in Takoradi near
where the Nigerian suspect was hiding after breaking cells from a police
station in the metropolis.
DAILY
GUIDE gathered that the tests
were conducted by two male doctors of the Police Hospital made up of a
Superintendent and a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).
Contrary
to the perception that blood samples could be taken from families of the kidnapped
girls for the tests, DAILY GUIDE gathered that the two
male doctors rather used a long thin stick which looked like a cotton bud to
take the DNA samples; there was no blood drawn.
A
police source said the thin stick was put in the mouth of the family members
who were represented by two persons each to help match the human remains
discovered barely two weeks ago.
Michael
Grant Hayford, who claims to be the spokesperson of the family members,
confirmed that the families sent two representatives each and claimed that the police
indicated they expected to complete matching the samples between two weeks and
one month.
The
spokesperson said that had there been an IGP like the current one, their girls
would have been found long ago, adding “the acting IGP, as you are aware, paid
a visit to the four families of the girls kidnapped; something his predecessor
failed to do.”
According
to him, the fourth missing girl, Ruth Abakah, was the first to be kidnapped but
when the matter was reported to the Takoradi police, they were told to keep
mute, as making noise about it would make the suspects escape with them.
He
mentioned that the family members now have the confidence that the new IGP
would work to get to the bottom of the kidnap cases that have rocked the
region, saying they have been touched by the demonstration of goodwill exhibited
by Mr. Oppong-Boanuh.
Priscilla
Blessing Bentum, 21, a third-year student of the University of Education,
Winneba, was kidnapped on 17th August 2018 at Kansaworodo and Ruth Love
Quayson, 18, a Fijai Senior High School leaver in Sekondi, was kidnapped on 4th
December 2018 at Butumegyabu junction in Takoradi.
PiscillaMantebeaKuranchie, 15, a first-year student of Sekondi College, was kidnapped on 21st December 2018 at a spot near Nkroful junction and the fourth victim, Ruth Abakah, a former student of Diabene Senior High School was last seen on July 29, 2018.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi
