Murdered AWA Engineer: Preliminary Report Confirms The Victim Was Shot In the Chest And Jaw

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]reliminary investigations by the Eastern Regional Police Command into the suspected murder of the 34-year old aircraft engineer with Africa World Airlines [AWA], Prince Kobina Kumi, has revealed that he was shot twice, in his jaw and his chest.

He was found dead on Monday between Akroso and Asuboa with bullet wounds after the police seized his car over suspected drink-driving.

According to the Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, investigations are still ongoing to unravel the mystery behind the killing.

“Preliminary investigations at the scene of the crime indicated that he was shot on the jaw and the chest, and he was left at the scene where he was found on Monday,” he said.

Meanwhile, the body has been transferred from the Eastern Region to the Police Hospital in Accra for autopsy.

“The reason why the body was conveyed there was to preserve it and have the post-mortem done,” ASP Tetteh explained.

Meanwhile, the driver who was said to have conveyed the deceased to complete his journey after his car was seized, is still in police custody assisting with investigations.

ASP Tetteh said “the driver is a material witness and he is assisting us in the investigations. If anything comes up which is incriminating which connects him to the offence we are investigating, that is murder, it is then we will move and charge him.”

ASP Tetteh was not clear on whether the driver had been arrested or was willingly in police custody.

“A statement has been taken from the driver, and in due course, he will be granted police enquiry bail,” he told Citi News when probed on the matter.

Accusation of police culpability

When the story of the killing first emerged, the family of the deceased accused police at Akroso of having a hand in the death of the technician.

The family claims the deceased was prevented from boarding any other vehicle after his car had been seized, though the police maintain he used some form of public transport and arrived at his destination before he was found dead.

The Oda Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent Samuel Ntosoh, also said the police had tried to detain the deceased till he was sober enough to drive home.

But the deceased refused this offer, according to Supt. Ntosoh.

The Inspector General of Police [IGP], David Asante Apeatu, acting upon a petition by the family of the deceased to investigate the matter, has since ordered the Police Professional and Standards Bureau (PIPS), to probe the matter.