The late Eric Kwame Acheampong
The family of Eric Kwame Acheampong, a Bronx, New York-based private businessman, is calling on the police to expedite the investigation into what they describe as a suspicious murder.
The late Acheampong, 59, was shot by unknown assailants at Aduman in the Ashanti Region on December 8 while returning to Kumasi from Accra on a business trip.
The Bronx-based businessman returned to Ghana two weeks ago for the Christmas celebration. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Statesman, Yaa Achiaa, sister of the deceased, said the unfortunate news happened around 6 pm on December 8. She said the family, based in Abuakwa in Kumasi, received a distress call about the shooting incident around 7:00 pm on the faithful day.
She added that when they got to the scene at about 10:00 pm, the late Acheampong was found dead in his car, a highlander.
Robbery?
Narrating the incident to the police and the family, one Angelina Donkor, who identified herself as the personal secretary to the late Acheampong, said she was sleeping in the car when her sleep was interrupted by a sudden unusual sound.
She said when she suddenly woke up, the car was moving, but Mr. Acheampong, who was driving the car, was unconscious.
She added that after some time, the car stopped by itself. A group of armed men then approached the car and forcefully removed her into a nearby bush.
She added that one of the armed men had wanted to shoot her, but another intervened on her behalf.
She said the armed men left the scene after they had taken an iPhone, which was being charged in the car, and other valuables.
Police report suggests that a robbery incident had occurred in the area around the same time that the murder of Mr. Acheampong occurred.
It noted that a filling station in the area had been robbed by unknown armed men earlier before the unfortunate incident.
When Mr. Acheampong’s mortal remains were finally removed from his car around 2:20 am, a cash amount of GHC3300 was found in his pocket and a mobile phone. According to the family, Mr. Acheampong used to use two mobile phones, an iPhone and an Android phone.
Business trip
Ms. Yaa Achiaa, who spoke to the Daily Statesman, indicated that Mr. Acheampong had gone to Accra on a business trip when the unfortunate incident occurred upon his return.
She indicated that Mr. Acheampong owns a hotel in Accra and a cold store in Techiman, aside from other businesses in Bronx where he resided.
When asked whether this could have been a planned murder by people close to Mr. Acheampong, including potential business competitors, Ms. Achiaa said the deceased was not known to have enemies who would want him dead.
The family is thus pleading with the police to expedite the investigation into the murder, and bring the perpetrators to face justice.
Target killing?
Mr. Acheampong is the second US-based Ghanaian who has died under suspicious circumstances in the last two weeks. Both of them came to Ghana for the Christmas celebration.
It would be recalled that a report broke last week about the death of 34-year-old Albert Adeabah, said to be working at the Massachusetts Stock Exchange.
Adeabah tragically passed away after birthday celebrations with friends, where he was suspected to have died from food poisoning.
According to an eyewitness account, he was invited to an in-house party after which there was a drink-up at Adeabah’s flat to continue the celebration. He began to feel ill, and eventually passed out soon after the event.
The late Eric Kwame Acheampong
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