Police have arrested two suspects Laabik Mathew and Bisom Doodam, for burning a 64-year-old woman alive at Nakpanduri in the Bunkprugu district of the North East Region.
Speaking in an interview with JoyNews‘ Eliasu Tanko, the outgoing North East Region Police Crime Officer, Superintendent Dugah, confirmed the arrest of the suspects.
He said, the suspects were arrested at Dadieso in the Western North Region in collaboration with the Enchi Divisional Command after they had attacked the woman and her husband with petrol in the Nakpanduri town in January this year.
“This young man after this act, he went into a hideout. He actually run into neighbouring Togo but we had hints of his movement so we put a trail on him to be monitoring him. When he got to know that police were closing up on him, he relocated and went to Enchi…. together with his uncle whom he was acting alongside with.”
Later in the evening, he organised another colleague and went to the uncle’s house to burn it down.
Fortunately, the mother of the uncle came out to prevent the young man from burning the house but he poured the substance that was believed to be petrol on this woman and set her alive. The husband of the woman who tried to help was also burnt.
Subsequently, these two men fled the town and went to Western North Region where they were hiding.
Based on Intelligence, police arrested them two days ago and are currently in custody.
Supt. Dangah said the victim sustained serious injuries therefore they were conveyed to the hospital where they were hospitalised and later discharged but to report for a periodical review.
The Crime Officer said the two have provisionally being charged but the prime suspect, Laabik Matthew would be held for attempted murder and causing injury whiles the other suspect, Bisom Doodam who was acting alongside the main suspect would be held for aiding and abetting.
“So those are the charges we are preparing for now, but we will be forwarding the docket to the law office for advise this may change or it may remain the same we don’t know,” he added.
The suspects are expected to be taken to court on Thursday.
