The special operation Wednesday afternoon, led by the Yeji District Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Abraham Bansah, at the Kamampa – a village near Zabrema in the Yeji area – saw the arrest of the suspects, including the assemblyman for the area, Chumba Daniel, 35, who was believed to have masterminded the attack.

 

Others were: Yaw Bindam, 35, farmer; Kwabena Paul, 35, farmer; Kofi Chuko, 39, farmer; John Lipobil, 41, farmer; Kwadwo Frimpong, 39, farmer and Birigbaa Toobi, 70, also a farmer.

 

The rest were: Wusil George, 39, farmer; Birigbaa Belegba, 34, night watchman; Banyele Tapoi, 42, farmer; Stephen Konja, 28, DJ; Kofi Osei, 42, farmer; Kwadwo Donkor, 38, mason; Badonima Samuel, 33, farmer and Kwasi Kangare, 36, farmer.

 

Briefing the media in Sunyani yesterday, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Crime Officer of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Alhaji Maama Arhin, said on February 14, 2015, Banyele Tapoi complained that cattle belonging to a Fulani had destroyed his farm.

 

He pursued the cattle to their stable and killed four of them. The following day, Chumba Daniel mobilized the people in the village with the support of John Lipobil, bought cartridges and distributed them to the farmers to launch an attack on the Fulani herdsman and his cattle.

 

The mob initially kidnapped the herdsman, Ali Abdulai, and killed nine more cows, shared the carcass among themselves and sold the rest.

 

The owner of the cattle, Alhaji Belete, who is based at Kintampo, upon hearing the incident, went to the village to access the situation only to be shot by Yaw Bindam, according to Superintendent Alhaji Arhin.

 

The owner who survived the gunshot was taken to the Holy Family Hospital at Techiman and later transferred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi for treatment.

 

According to the regional crime officer, information about the attack got to the Yeji police who rushed to the village, but the village folks attempted to attack the police. They (police) retreated and reorganized and stormed the village this week where they arrested all the suspects.

 

The suspects who have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime, attempted murder, use of offensive weapons, cruelty to animals and stealing, were yesterday remanded by court into prison custody to re-appear on April 1.