Arrest of spiritualist over murder of woman in hotel: The inside story

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The Odupong Ofaakor Police in the Central Region have arrested a self-styled spiritualist in connection with the murder of a 24-year old who worked as an accountant with a hydraulics company.

The suspect, Suleman Mumuni Tanko, 35, was arrested in Cape Coast last Tuesday following the alleged murder of the victim, Anita Walter, at a hotel (name withheld) at Ofaakor near Kasoa.

The suspect is said to have made away, after the act, with an unspecified amount of money in both dollar and Cedi denominations belonging to the victim.

Money

Upon his arrest, the police retrieved $ 5,600 from him, an exhaust pipe one-metre in length with which he is alleged to have used to assault Anita until she became unconscious.

Anita is said to be a fresh First Class graduate from a tertiary institution in the country.

The Ofaakor District Police Commander, DSP Samuel Amfo, who confirmed the story, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the incident took place last Thursday, November 5, after Anita had booked Room Three in the said hotel.

He said preliminary investigations showed that after booking the room, Anita told the hotel attendant that she was going to bring her boss and returned later with the suspect.

“The lady booked a room in the hotel and said she was going to meet her boss for discussion and not quite long she returned with the then so-called boss.

“Sometime later, the suspect alone came out of the hotel room and went to his car with registration number CR 136-20, to pick a metal (one-metre broken exhaust pipe) and went back to the room, apparently to use on Anita,” he said.

DSP Amfo added that after the act, the suspect emerged from the room with the victim’s belongings and drove away, leaving her locked up and both hands and feet tied with cello tape.

While the suspect drove away, the police commander said, he threw away the key to the hotel room and it was picked by a passerby who called the telephone number written on it.

“With the key in his hands, the hotel manager wondered how a key he gave to an occupant in the hotel could be found outside by a stranger. And so he decided to open the door to Anita’s room,” he said.

DSP Amfo said when the door was opened, the manager found Anita lying half-naked on the bed with both hands and feet tied with sellotape.

He said the manager the rushed quickly to report his findings to the police who also sped to the scene and took the limp body of the victim, who was suspected to be in a coma, to the 37-Military Hospital.

Intelligence gathering

Unfortunately, DSP Amfo said, Anita died about 24 hours later.

The Ofaakor District Police Commander said through intelligence gathering the suspect was picked up in Cape Coast.

He said the suspect would be put before court today as the police still conducted investigations into the matter.

Source: graphic.com