Crime

Police probes shooting of chief of Ve-Golokuati

TWO members of a bereaved family at Ve-Golokuati in the Afadzato District of the Volta Region, are helping the police in the probe into the shooting of the chief of the town, Togbe Ayidzoe VI, at the funeral ground earlier this month.

They are Ernest Gbatey, the first suspect, and a brother of the deceased, and Patrick Gbatey.

Togbe Ayidzoe was reportedly shot from behind while he was leaving the funeral ground after performing the necessary rites, as the traditional ruler of the town, on March 2, this year.

The chief, who sustained wounds in his left arm and backside, was rushed to the Margaret Marquat Hospital in Kpando, where he was treated and discharged on the third day.

A spokesman of the chief, said that soon after the incident, Ernest Gbatey admitted firing the gun “mistakenly” and was subsequently arrested by the police.

However, he said that the suspect in his police caution statement denied being the mugger and rather mentioned Patrick Gbatey, his relative, as the gunman, who shot the chief.

Based on that, the police arrested Patrick as well, and the two have since been granted bail.

Meanwhile, the spokesman expressed misgivings over what he described as a surreptitious attempt by the Paramount Chief of the Ve Traditional Area, Togbe Delume to have the case withdrawn from the police station for settlement at home.

“He sought to intervene in the matter without consulting the injured chief,” the spokesman complained.

When contacted in Ho on Monday, ACP Peter Gyimah, who is the Deputy Volta Regional Police Commander, confirmed the arrest of the two men.

 “The police have almost completed their investigations into the matter and the suspects will soon be arraigned in court,” he assured.

He maintained that the case was a criminal one and could, therefore, not be settled at home.

Attempts by the Ghanaian Times to contact the Paramount Chief of the area, for his comments, did not succeed.

FROM ALBERTO MARIO NORETTI, HO

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