THE ARREST OF JESSE
Maame U, having just finished bathing, emerged from the small cubicle wrapped in a cloth with a towel on her shoulders.
As she was about to enter the room, distant commotion and the sound of approaching cars caught her attention. Three police cars arrived without sirens, prompting people to gather and peer out of their houses.
She sensed the police cars were headed her way, and her fear grew as they abruptly stopped in front of her. Two black police saloon cars, each loaded with about 5 officers, were accompanied by a larger police pickup truck carrying 15 officers. Frozen in place, Maame U watched as they quickly disembarked.
An officer in his 50s, with grey hair on his head and moustache, approached her. He identified himself as Officer Tod from Adenta Police Station and showed her his card. Trembling, Maame U managed to ask, "What's wrong?"
Officer Tod, with a stern expression, explained, "We would like to see Jesse Akwasi Gyan, who we believe might be your son. He is a suspect in the murder of Josh Yamoah, as they were seen arguing yesterday morning."
Stuttering, Maame U couldn't comprehend the gravity of the situation. The other policemen barged into her house, and she heard faint cries from her baby. They pulled Jesse to the ground, and everything seemed to move in slow motion for her. Tears streamed down her face as Jesse, with a confused and shocked expression, was handcuffed and thrown into the back of the saloon car.
Unaware of the growing crowd around them, Maame U saw Officer Tod say something, but the words were lost in her overwhelming grief. The police car sped away with its siren blaring, leaving behind a shattered mother and a community witnessing a heartbreaking scene.
"Inspector, we have visitors," Felix announced as two men entered Chief Inspector Evans' office.
Inspector Evans stood up upon seeing the two men and gestured for them to sit down. "Should I get you something to drink?" he offered, but the visitors went straight to the point without replying.
"The media has caught wind of two news stories, one about the murder of the regional officer and now a young man. What have you been doing here, Evans?" scolded the first man, Mr. Odei.
"Mr Odei, the security in this town has been very tight since the murder of the regional police officer," Evans replied, visibly shaken from the anger of the Inspector General of Police (IGP). This was his second visit today, but this time, he came with the Director of Criminal Investigation, Director Boateng.
"If security is tight, why was there another murder last night? I thought security was at its peak during the night," scoffed Director Boateng, joining in the investigation.
Inspector Evans, unsure of how to answer, sat down quietly. He was shocked that another murder had occurred, this time at the entrance of the Madina Market, and it wasn't even too late for it to go unnoticed.
"Are there going to be serial killings now in the town where the regional police building is?" Mr. Odei, the IGP, pointed out.
"We are still trying our best to work on the cause of the murder. I can assure you that last night, we deployed about 50 policemen and women from Nima to Madina and beyond. We are also shocked at how these murders occurred," Evans explained.
Director Boateng sighed, expressing his frustration, "We must get surveillance cameras all around Accra."
"Who was this man?" Mr. Odei inquired.
"All I know is that he's Josh Yamoah, and he worked here as a coffee vendor," Evans responded.
"The young man worked around here, and you weren't able to protect him. What about those who live at a long distance? What kind of work are you really doing here, Chief Inspector?" Mr Odei angrily addressed Inspector Evans sarcastically.
"As I said earlier, Mr. Odei, we are working on it. As of now, we have a suspect who should be arriving soon. We will get to the end of the matter, I believe," Inspector Evans assured them.
"Of course, you must get to the end of the matter. I'll go see the media and have something to say to them," Mr Odei declared, standing up and preparing to leave.
"You'll hear from the Criminal Investigation Department; the Director-General has already appointed Detective Philip on Rexford Osei's case.
We will update you on the matter of this murder and the prisoner that Superintendent Joe reported," Director Boateng stated as they exited the premises.
In a small home nestled in Madina, grief engulfed the atmosphere as an elderly woman wept inconsolably upon receiving the devastating news about her grandson. The bearers of this heart-wrenching information were two compassionate policewomen who had arrived earlier in the day, inquiring about the young man's whereabouts.
Nana, the grandmother, found herself immobilized by shock, her frail frame shuddering with each sob as the officers delivered the grim tidings. The weight of the news bore down on her, and the reality of the situation seemed too much for her fragile heart to bear.
As the police women extended their condolences, Nana's sorrow manifested in a torrent of tears that seemed to know no end. The room echoed with the sombre melody of her mourning, a painful lament for a grandson whose life had been tragically cut short.
The officers, witnesses to the raw emotions unravelling before them, stood in silent solidarity, offering a comforting presence amid the palpable sorrow. Nana's cries, a poignant expression of a grandmother's love and loss, filled the air until, overwhelmed by the anguish, she succumbed to unconsciousness.
In that small Madina home, grief had taken residence, leaving behind an old woman, now lying still, as the echoes of her grandson's untimely departure reverberated through the hushed corridors of her shattered world.