Police detail dramatic arrest of key suspect in the Sakumono double killing in Kumasi

The Ghana Police Service has been giving detailed accounts of the operation that led to the arrest of a prime suspect in the gruesome murder of a 57-year-old man and his niece at Sakumono in Tema this year.

The 57-year-old George Atubiga and his 47-year-old niece, Irene Atubiga, were murdered at their residence in Tema.

Police say the arrest of prime suspect Samuel Christopher Osei at his hideout in Ejisu, close to Kumasi, followed days of intensive manhunt and a public reward announcement for information regarding the whereabouts of the 72-year-old man.

But police surprised the suspect at his hideout in Tikrom near Ejisu, cutting short his preparations and attempts to flee the country to the United States.

“I'm told from the arresting officer; I'm told he was preparing to leave the country. I think he is based in the US also. He was preparing to leave the country," Supt. Godwin Ahianyo, who speaks for the Ashanti Regional Police Command, explained.

Acting on what police say was a vital tip-off received on a Sunday, four days after the Thursday incident, personnel from Suntreso District Command and the Anti-Armed Robbery Team tracked the suspect to his personal residence at Tikrom in the Ejisu Municipality.

Superintendent Ahianyo revealed that the suspect, in the company of two other individuals, whom he claimed were brothers, did not resist arrest.

According to him, the suspect readily gave himself up to the arresting officers, admitting he knew exactly why law enforcement agents had arrived.

Police say Mr. Osei was temporarily held in Kumasi before being transferred under strict security to the Accra Regional Police Command.

Superintendent Ahianyo says the swift and coordinated operation has won the applause and widespread commendation from the Inspector-General of Police and other stakeholders.

“According to the arresting officers, he told them he knew why they were there to arrest him, so he gave himself up, and then he was brought here (Regional Headquarters) and then later was sent to Accra for investigation to continue from there, because that is where the incident happened, so we handed him over to the Accra Regional Police Command. For our arresting officers, no, he was not interrogated immediately. After the police apprehended him, they called Accra, and the instruction was that he was supposed to be sent to Accra. So, then they went with him in the morning and then handed him over to the Accra Police Command,” he said.

He continued: “I think it happened on Thursday. Then on Sunday, we had intel that he was hiding somewhere at Tikrom in Ejisu. So, police proceeded there. When they got there, he was there with two other gentlemen whom he claimed to be his brothers. But they didn't have any hand in whatever had happened. That is where he stays. That is his personal residence"

The police added, "Whenever he comes to Kumasi, that is where he lives, and he lives there alone. So, when the police went in there, they met him, and he really gave himself up.”