Families of the Takoradi missing girls have rejected claims by the police that, a DNA test it conducted on remains exhumed from a cesspit tank at Kansaworadu near Takoradi matches samples taken from the family members.
They are rather calling for an independent body to conduct a similar test to corroborate that of the police.
The police at a news conference on Monday, September 16, announced that, samples taken from family members of the four missing Takoradi girls for a DNA test matches with human parts exhumed from a cesspit tank at Kansaworodo, near Takoradi.
This was ostensibly to bring a closure to the mystery of the missing girls, namely Ruth Abeka, Priscilla Bentum, Ruth Love Quayson and Priscilla Kuranchie.
However, at a news conference on Tuesday, September 17, at Diabenekrom school park, near Sekondi the families with support from the communities vehemently rejected the report by the police.
According to them, they did not see the said human remains before the DNA and therefore can not trust the outcome.
They also faulted the police for breaching a gentleman’s to make them aware of the results of the DNA test before going public. A spokesman for the families, John Entsie called on the police to prove beyond reasonable doubt indeed the girls are dead, by making available the certified results of the DNA.
The families’ apprehension stems from the April 2, 2019 declaration by the Director-General of the Police CID, DCOP Maame Tiwaa Addo that, security apparatus knows the location of the girls and that, they are safe.
This was followed by further assurances from Minister of State in-charge of National Security, Brian Acheampong and the Gender Minister, Mrs. Cynthia Morrison that, the girls were safe and were soon to be reunited with their families.
The Mother of Priscilla Bentum, Mrs. Gladys Bentum in an inconsolable state cried her out not believing that, her daughter is dead.
She passionately appealed to the President as a father to review the processes leading to the police’s conclusion that, the girls are dead.
For his part, Emmanuel Anza Cobbinah whose grand daughter, Ruth Abekah went missing on July 29, 2019 chastised the police for worsening the plight of the families by going public with DNA results without consulting the families leading to the collapse of his wife upon hearing the news in the media.
He said, they will resort to other means to ascertain the veracity of the police report.
Story filed by Marie Aziz Tunde
