Police in the Ashanti Region say efforts at apprehending wanted persons in the fatal shooting incident at National Democratic Congress (NDC) Regional office in Kumasi in February, is being impeded.
According to the Police, some unknown persons are shielding the wanted suspects from facing criminal prosecution.
They noted that relatives of one of the suspects, Suleiman Hussein, alias Akon, who was arrested last week, had been hiding his hide-out until some citizens apprehended and handed him over to police.
Public Relations Officer of the Ashanti Region Police Command, ASP Godwin Ahianyo, said investigations are also being extended to the injury suffered by the suspect in the process.
This was after the denial by brother of the murdered Abdul Wasiu, who was a member of the group that arrested Akon, that the suspect was stabbed by them.
The shooting took place at the NDC office in Kumasi
According to ASP Ahianyo, efforts of police to pursue or arrest the suspects are been thwarted by people, including relatives whom he said are harbouring them in their homes and hotels.
“We’ve had three people who are currently in custody; we’ve gotten Akon. The others are on the run and I am telling you they are hiding in homes of people. And you know it’s an offence to harbour a criminal,” he said.
He cited an instance where some of the suspects were whisked away in a 4X4 vehicle after police moved in to arrest them after picking intelligence.
The suspects managed to escape after an unsuccessful chase by police.
According to him, police will invite relatives of Akon for questioning after it came out that they have been hiding him to the extent that a toilet and bathroom had been constructed in his room at their Abirem Old Town residence.
“We are even going to extend our investigations to his [Akon] family members to invite them. They have built excuse me to say toilet [and] bath in his room and was hiding in there and they were feeding him 24/7. He wasn’t coming out.”
Obrempong-Nana Kwaku Ampomah 