Takoradi kidnapping brouhaha: Residents might be speaking out of sentiment – NPP’s Charles Bissue

The Western Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Charles Bissue has called on the public to trust the Ghana Police Service to bring finality to the missing but found Takoradi ‘pregnant’ woman‘s case.

Speaking on TV3 NewDay on Thursday, September 23, monitored by GhanaPlus.com he said it would be pre-mature for anybody to take sides in the matter adding the resident who had jumped to the defence  of the 28-year old woman may be doing so out of sentiment.

“The police have gone to say people have been arrested so we should wait for them to be interrogated. You see all those talking might be talking out of sentiment, am not saying they are wrong or right but the police have come out with a report and we heard Rev Osei also saying that he had to wait for his authority and I think they have use the structures ……the Axim hospital is also saying that she is not a lactating mother and she hadn’t had a baby in the past six month and the police have come with a report and they have gone on to say that in the last few years they have actually recorded hoax cases”.

“…..Let us help the police do their investigations. People have been arrested, let listen to what they say and all that, let not come out and say that it is not true. Even there might be actual kidnappers still in the Western Region and  if  you talk like that they may think we do not know what we are doing and they can carry on doing it”.

Mr Bissue was reacting to a statement issued by the Ghana Police Service on Thursday and the sentiment which had greeted the statement.

Police declares missing but found Takoradi woman suspect

The Ghana Police Service on  Thursday, September 23,  declared as suspect the pregnant woman, Ms Josephine Panyin Mensah, who was reported missing at Takoradi and found in Axim.

Their reasons, the Police Service said preliminary investigations had suggested Ms Mensah was never pregnant.

 “The police is heavily relying on medical experts who have examined her. Their findings are that Josephine Panyin Mensah was never pregnant, within the period under review following thorough medical examination by the medical doctors at the Axim Government Hospital”.

“The victim, now a suspect, during Interrogation mentioned the European Hospital in Takoradi as the hospital for her antenatal reviews and assessment. Medical records at the facility suggest that the lady visited the hospital without pregnancy somewhere in October last year,” a statement signed by Acting Director–General, Public Affairs, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ASP), Kwesi Ofori said.

According to the statement, investigations have also revealed the woman may have conspired with others over a possible planned disappearance.

Takoradi missing pregnant woman

Prior to the statement, the Western Regional Minister,  Mr Kwabena Otchere Darko Mensah had told the media preliminary investigations made by National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) has revealed the 28-year -old was never pregnant.

He told Kessben TV in an interview.

Takoradi resident insist woman was pregnant, evoke curses on Regional Minister, others

However since the statement was made, resident of Columbia a suburb of Takoradi, where the couple resides has debunk the claims insisting Ms Mensah was heavily pregnant at the time of her disappearance.

Pictures and video evidence of her pregnancy were also made available to the media by some residents and subsequently evoked curses on the Regional Minister and anyone who had said others.

Source: GhanaPlus.com