Policeman Who Killed Kids And Committed Suicide Had Family Problems

It has emerged that the policeman with the Tema Regional Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) unit who allegedly shot dead his two young children and mother in law before turning the gun on himself in an apparent murder-suicide on Monday had family problems.

It is unclear what his motivation was but sources close to the horrific incident said his wife, a nursing mother, narrowly escaped with her life.

The incident occurred at about 4pm on Monday in an uncompleted house located between the Devtraco courts estates and the affordable estates near Kpone in the Tema area of Greater Accra.

The caretaker of the house where the incident occurred, Mr Akwasi Quansah has told Graphic Online’s Tema reporter, Benjamin Xornam Glover that the deceased persons were his church members who moved into the uncompleted house last Thursday.

He explained that the wife of the policeman and the deceased persons were his church members who had been evicted from their home and seeking shelter so on the advice of a church elder, he took them in with the intention of securing a place for them later only to be hit by the unfortunate incident.

He said it was the first time seeing the policeman in the house.

Explaining, he claimed to have received a distress call from his relatives to rush back home at about 4:30 pm on Monday and when he arrived, he saw a crowd gathered in front of the house.

According to Mr Quansah, when he was told there had been a gun shot in the house he and his wife quickly dashed to the Devtraco courts police station where they lodged a complaint.

Two detectives were dispatched to the scene to assess the situation and convey the bodies to the mortuary.

Constable Amuzu who was expected to be on night patrol duties, had booked the rifle from the SWAT armoury but failed to proceed on duty and rather went home to wipe out his family.

The uniformed policeman wearing his helmet shot and killed instantly his mother-in-law who was bathing his baby, shot the baby and the elder child, a boy of about two years before shooting himself.

Sources at the tragic scene claimed the policeman was abusive of his wife and that on a recent late evening surprise visit by the Inspector General of Police, John Kudalor to the Tema Regional Police headquarters, he had met a woman lodging a complaint of assault at the nearby Railways and Port Police Station where Amuzu was stationed.

They alleged when the IGP inquired and was told the suspect was an officer, he allegedly directed his detention overnight until he was given bail the next day.

The sources could not however, link that incident to the murder-suicide.

By-graphic