Kofi Agyei alias Jamalo
THE driver of the Suhum Member of Parliament, Oboafo Kwadwo Asante who is alleged to have inflicted cutlass wounds on a party communicator of the NPP at a funeral held in Suhum in the Eastern Region over the weekend has finally been arrested.
The suspect, Kofi Agyei a.k.a Jamalo on Wednesday afternoon went to the Suhum Police to report himself after pressure was mounted on the MP, Kwadwo Asante by the party members to produce him as the main suspect of the heinous crime.
He has immediately whisked away from the Suhum Police to the Regional Police Headquarters at Koforidua, where he was ordered to write his caution statement.
He has since been detained in Police custody assisting investigation at the time of filing this report.
Earlier before his arrest, one aide of Oboafo Kwadwo Asante was also arrested for allegedly slapping the constituency Secretary, Ernest Lartey, during the “free for all fight” at the funeral when he attempted to separate the melee.
The first suspect (name withheld) was later granted bail after writing his caution statement at the Suhum Police Station.
The prime suspect, Jamalo, a driver of the MP, who allegedly inflicted cutlass wounds on the forehead of the NPP Lower West Akyem Communications Officer, Bernard Kwesi Amoani initially went into hiding after the incident.
The Police confirmed the incident and said they were investigating the matter, adding that they are keeping the machete as an exhibit.
The Member of Parliament for the area, Kwadjo Asante in a statement condemned and also debunked assertions connecting his driver to clashes that led to the assault on Bernard Kwasi Amoani, 51, sustaining a deep cutlass wound in the head.
According to him, “I wish to state categorically that, my driver was not involved in the case neither was cutlass nor implement picked from my car as is being alleged in the media”.
The violent attacks happened at the funeral grounds of the late father of one of the party’s communicators known as Opare.
Mr Asante did not admit or decline, instead, he said “I wish to pray that these eminent leaders of my party, the New Patriotic Party, are accorded the needed respect and dignity and not brought into this unfortunate incident”.
He described the incident as unfortunate, as he urged party supporters to remain calm, adding that the party abhors any form of violence.
Mr Asante further charged his constituents exercise restraint as the police investigate the matter and also pledged to cooperate and support in any way possible to resolve the situation peacefully.
BY Daniel Bampoe