Former President Jerry John Rawlings has announced a GH¢25,000 bounty for the heads of persons involved in the killing of the Assemblyman for South Sogakope, Marcus Adzahli.
The amount is in addition to the GH¢10,000 bounty offered by the District Chief Executive for South Tongu, Emmanuel Luis Agamah.
In a Facebook post, the former president said, “[He] is offering an additional amount of 25,000 cedis to earlier offers towards reliable information leading to the arrest of the attackers who killed the Assemblyman for Sogakope, Marcus Adzahli last Sunday and for those who committed another violent robbery in Vume, also in the South Tongu District about a month ago.”
Marcus Adzahli was killed on Sunday dawn by some unknown assailants at his home in Sogakope.
Reports said he was shot and stabbed by the unknown men.
The incident has generated anger among members of the community who accused the police of failing to respond swiftly to distress calls by the deceased and his family when they noticed that the assailants were attempting to break into their room.
The residents, after temporarily blocking the Accra-Aflao road to protest the police’s inaction on Sunday, went on rampage on Monday, blocking the road again amidst burning of vehicle tyres.
They also pelted stones at the police station, destroying a police vehicle and other police property.
It took the intervention of a joint police and military team to disperse the rampaging youth and restore calm to the area although three residents were left injured after being hit with live bullets.
Former President Jerry Rawlings in a post on his Facebook page urged the residents to exercise restraint and channel their grievances through the right channels.
“[I urge] residents to exercise their right to anger and protest, but not to express their anger in the wrong direction or through the wrong action,” he said in the post.
Read Rawlings’ full post below:
Former President Jerry John Rawlings is offering an additional amount of 25,000 cedis to earlier offers towards reliable information leading to the arrest of the attackers who killed the Assemblyman for Sogakope, Marcus Adzahli last Sunday and for those who committed another violent robbery in Vume, also in the South Tongu District about a month ago.
The Regional Minister and the assembly had earlier offered 10,000 cedis each for the same purpose.
The former President expressed disgust at the trend of violent attacks in the South Tongu area, describing the killing of the Assemblyman as a politically related murder.
Flt Lt Rawlings urged the residents to exercise their right to anger and protest, but not to express their anger in the wrong direction or through the wrong action.
The attackers of the Assemblyman refused to accept an offer of ¢30,000 (thirty thousand cedis) from the victim’s wife in a plea to save his life, insisting money was not the reason for the attack. They subsequently snatched the money only after they had shot, stabbed and killed Adzahli.
The wife, sister and child of the deceased who were also injured in the attack are on admission at the District Hospital. The victim of the Vume attack a month ago is currently on admission at the Dzodze Hospital.
Residents on Tuesday protested the failure of the police to act on the spate of violent attacks by blocking the Sogakope Bridge and besieging the police station, a situation that led to a confrontation with the police who shot and injured at least three demonstrators.
Aside the Police, informants who wish to offer confidential information leading to the apprehension of all the assailants can also call or text the former President’s office directly on 020 073 6637.
