Nyinawusu lynching: 2 arrested, security tightened ahead of mass burial for victims

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At least two people have been arrested by the police in connection with the gruesome murder of five people at Nyinawusu in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District of the Ashanti Region.

The victims, who are natives of Akorabuokrom in the Atwima Mponua District, were killed on December 16 by residents of Nyinawusu who mistook them for robbers.

Already residents of Akorabuokrom have issued a one week ultimatum to arrest the pepertrators of the heinous crimes.

Providing updates on the development, Atwima Mponua District Police Commander, DSP James Amekah says the two suspects have been remanded into prison custody to assist investigations.

“They [the suspects have been taken to court and remanded into prison custody…We are searching for more than five suspects and we will get them”, the police chief said.

Mass burial for victims

Meanwhile an emergency security council meeting was held on Wednesday, as Akurobuokrom holds mass burial for its natives on Thursday, December 23.

DSP James Amekah has warned that the police will deal ruthlessly with anybody who foment trouble on the ground.

Actually the situation is calm only that we are preparing for the burial of the deceased at Akorabuokrom. So we have had a security council meeting to put in security measures for the event. We don’t want to underestimate events like this”, DSP Amekah said.

“We are not going to spare persons who misbehave on the ground”, he warned.

Background

The deceased were said to have been summoned to the chief’s palace at Nyinawusu moments after returning from an illegal mining site on that fateful day.

It followed earlier reports that one of them had attempted to rob a lady the previous days.

The angry residents, armed with machetes, clubs and other offensive weapons, besieged the chief’s palace, broke into a room reserved for the gods and killed two of the victims.

“One tried to escape but was arrested and his throat slashed”, a police incident report read.

While four of them were killed on that day, a fifth person died the next morning.

The Nyinawusu community has since been deserted after security was deployed to the area.

SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH