The Chronicle�s in-depth investigations into the death of a 54-year old Chinese, Ma Chang, in Tema Community 9, a fortnight ago, suggests he might have been eliminated in retaliation for the killing of a Chinese woman 6 years ago.
On the 16th of April, 2008, Chang Jing met the woman, Yan Yong Xia, 36, wife of a Ghanaian Police officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Nii Nanka Bruce, at a Koreana Hotel, Community 12.
Chang Jing, claiming to be drunk, rained insults on the lady in public, which embarrassed the latter, but she left the scene without uttering a word. The following day, the lady, after pondering over the incident, decided to invite Chang Jing to the GILFREDOS Bar, Community 11, at 09:00am, to deliberate on the incident and forge peace.
The Chronicle�s findings revealed that for unexplained reasons, Chang Jing loaded a revolver and carried extra ammunition on him, before proceeding to her place. The two, the paper gathered, were engaged in a business discussion, but Chang Jing became peeved for no apparent reason.
During the discussion, Chang got furious and pulled out a loaded revolver and without any provocation, fired into the lower abdomen of his host. He then ran amok by firing another Chinese, Huo De Li. A Ghanaian security guard on duty at the premises, Raymond Aberiga, who attempted to disarm the rampaging gun-man, was not spared either.
Both De Li and Aberiga were initially rushed to the hospital, where they received medical treatment, but the Chinese was immediately flown back home for further treatment. Investigations established that the suspect was subjected to severe beatings, almost to the point of death by a mob of Ghanaians and Chinese, who thronged the place.
The Chronicle gathered that he shuttled between the Police and the hospital for medical treatment for almost a year, before he was granted bail, awaiting advice from the Attorney General�s office for the next line of action.
Two reports gathered by this paper had to do with allegation that even though the law office directed that Ma Chang Jing be re-arrested and charged with murder, the detective who inherited the case docket, reportedly claimed that he could not identify the suspect from the many look-alike Chinese.
Also, the law office did not release the directive for onward action. With this, the Chinese community is alleged to have perceived their compatriot as a fugitive. The Tema Regional Criminal Investigations Department (CID), which is investigating the case, alluded to the fact that Chang Jing, at a time, suffered threats of death from his fellow Chinese.
A highly placed source at the Regional Police Command, told The Chronicle that at least one person, the owner of Tema International Hotel, at Community 6, was invited for questioning. According to the source, the wife of the deceased informed the Police that few days to his death, the manager of the hotel threatened to kill Chang Jing, after misunderstanding ensued between them at the hotel.
The manager, according to the Police, admitted that there was a misunderstanding, but claimed that it was between the deceased and other persons and that he went to separate them. Crack detectives are torn between extending their investigations beyond the country or limiting it to Ghana, since all the Chinese who are to assist with investigations have fled back home and are not ruling out the possibility of a hit-squad at work.
It will be recalled that the deceased, Ma Chang Jin, manager in-charge of a two-storey building, under construction near Imperial Perking Restaurant, directly opposite the Tema General Hospital, to house a restaurant, hotel and casino, was shot to death by an unknown assailant.
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