Remains linked to missing Taadi girls: "Police mismanaged process"

General News of Saturday, August 3, 2019

Source: Myjoyonline.com

2019-08-03

Newsfile panelists, a JoyNews news program, expressed dismay at the police handling of the processes leading to the discovery of human remains linked to three missing girls from Takoradi.

According to Andrew Egyapa Mercer, Member of Parliament of Secondi, the very public way in which the police managed the exercise could lead the possible accomplices of the crime to flee or to conceal crucial evidence.

Even worse, the director of the African Center for Energy Policy said the announcement by the police of the discovery before a forensic audit would increase the anxiety of the victims' families and could possibly wipe out their hope.

"The process has been mismanaged," said Benjamin Boakye. Going on the spot with sirens was a bad thing, "he added Saturday.

JoyNews announced on Friday night that a security operation in Kasaworodo, in the western region's capital, Takoradi, had discovered human remains.

A subsequent police statement said the operation was part of investigations to find three missing girls more than a year ago in the western region.

Priscilla Mantebea Koranchie, 15, Ruth Love Quayson, 18, and Priscilla Blessing Bentum, 21, have been missing for almost a year after their abduction in the metropolis of Takoradi.

DSP Juliana Obeng, CID's police public relations officer, gave details of the Friday Night operation, indicating that human remains had been found in a septic tank during the exercise.

The deputy from Secondi said he was surprised by the announcement.

"Why is the statement if the forensic evidence is not made?

"The police should have interrogated local residents in the vicinity of the residence from where they were before the problem was solved," said exalted Andrew Egyapa Mercer.

He thinks that if the forensic information has confirmed that it's good girls, "it will be unfortunate" because of the information provided by the police.

Mercer cited recent information provided by the Interior Minister that police have "exploitable intelligence" that could lead to the rescue of girls.

For his part, a former deputy minister of electricity, John Abdulai Jinapor, said: "The family will face serious difficulties because of this hasty announcement.

"Psychological attention will be needed to help families," said Benjamin Boakye, Executive Director of CAPE, to support his colleague.

A professor of economics and finance from the University of Ghana agrees with them.

"I think families are tired of what the human body can handle. We should support the families, friends and badociates of girls. "I hope the Lord will strengthen them," said Professor Godfred Bokpin.

He also called on Ghanaians not to be divided on the issue.

"Let us work with all our institutions despite their weaknesses, he rallied his support to the police.