A Detective Corporal at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters, Michael Larbie has been arrested in connection with the shooting incident that happened over the weekend at Awutu Ofaakor in the Central Region.
Corporal Larbie who is the boundary chief and Tufuhene of Awutu Ofaakor was arrested by Combat 23 patrol team from the Accra region and the Kasoa Divisional Patrol team.
About 20 individuals during a chieftaincy dispute besieged the Ofaakor Palace demanding for the remains of the late Akyeamehene of Ofaakor Nana Kojo Amoashie.
Citi News sources say Detective Corporal Michael Larbie is said to have led a group of individuals into the palace during the traditional ceremony to create mayhem and demand for the body of the late Akyeamehene.
But, according to the Central Region Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), DSP Irene Oppong, Corporal Michael Larbie is currently under investigation.
“Combat 23 patrol team from the Accra Region and Kasoa Divisional Police team in an operation have arrested Detective Corporal Micheal Labrie of the CID headquarters who is said to be the boundary and Tufuhene of Ofaakor town. He has been arrested in connection with the shooting incident that took palace on the 7th of March 2020 at the Ofaakor palace. Investigations into the incident continue,” DSP Irene Oppong said.
Meanwhile, the Awutu Senya East Municipal Assembly together with the police have begun investigations into the incident.
According to the Municipal Chief Executive, Micheal Essuman Mensah, four individuals have already been arrested and have been sent to the Police headquarters for questioning.
“About 15 to 20 detectives are here to pick the needed evidence and statement for us to be able to establish a prima facie case and be able to charge the suspects who have been arrested together with some other 3 accomplices. There are some names that have been mentioned of which the police have taken notice of and they will also look for them.”
Shooting incident
Citi News understands that the shooting incident happened in the late hours of Friday after members of the Odukpong Ofaakor Chief’s palace and the Asafo company were conducting rituals to bury the Akyeamehene of Odukpong Ofaakor, Nana Kojo Amoashie, who is a royal.
This did not go down well with members of other factions in the palace who allegedly decided to mar the ceremony.
Speaking to Citi News in an interview, Odikro of Kasoa, Nai Darko Ankrah indicated that some individuals entered the palace armed with guns and machetes and demanded that the body be given to them to go and bury but they refused, forcing the group to shoot into the crowd.
“We were in the palace preparing rituals to bury the late Akyeamehene when suddenly some group of individuals armed with guns and machetes entered the palace and demanded that the body be given to them to bury. But we told them that the man is a royal and will be buried according to traditions and customs. This did not go down well with the group who in turn opened fire on the crowd and this injured several others,” Nai Darko Ankrah said.
He added that the group managed to take the body of the late Akyeamehene Nana Kojo Amoashie away.
“After they fired the gunshot, they managed to take the body away. As we speak, I don’t know where the body is,” Nai Darko Ankrah told Citi News.
A victim who was hit by the stray bullet told Citi News he went to the palace only to witness the colourful ceremony but was hit by the bullet.
“I went to the Palace to watch the ceremony and then I heard gunshots but I did not even notice I had been hit until my friend told me I had been hit by a bullet. Suddenly I saw blood coming out and I was rushed to the Kasoa government hospital but was transferred to the Winneba Trauma hospital for treatment,“ the victim who wished to remain anonymous told Citi News.