New evidence links Lecturer to wife’s disappearance

By Hillary Thompson, Accra

There is new evidence that links a lecturer with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to his wife’s disappearance.

The State Attorney handling the case told a Kumasi High Court about the emerging evidence on Tuesday, after the lecturer, Dr. Wilberforce Aggrey was denied a bail application.

Counsel for Dr. Aggrey filed the bail application after the Asokwa District Court earlier denied him bail and remanded the accused person to reappear on November 26, 2021.

They argued the continued detention of the lecturer is against his fundamental human rights, adding that his offence is bailable.

The suspect has been accused of kidnapping his wife, Rhodaline Amoah-Darko, an employee of the Lands Commission in Kumasi.

According to Defence counsel, led by Frederick Kankam, their client was ready to deposit his passport at the court and submit himself to every order as the court may deem fit by his bail condition.

But the State Attorney prayed the court to deny the accused bail because new facts directly linking him to the disappearance of her wife have emerged.

According to her, Police investigators have been interrogating three witnesses, and granting bail to the accused may interfere with investigations.

The High Court, presided by Priscilla Dikro, denied the accused bail.

She acknowledged that every charge can be bailed and the continuous detention of the accused is against his fundamental human rights.

The court, however, deems the emergence of new facts, as explained by the State Attorney, may interfere with the facts of the case.

Meanwhile, friends of Rhodaline Amoah-Darko and her work colleagues who were in court say they are satisfied with the court decision to deny the accused bail.

They include members of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors and the Lands Commission.

Whilst promising their support for the family in search of Rhoda, they are appealing for justice for their colleague.

Regional Lands Officer, Stephen Oduro-Kwarteng, tells SpyNews, the office has been cooperating with Police and the National Investigations Bureau.

According to him, some officials at the Commission have already given their statements to the investigative bodies.

“Since she is a staff at our outfit, we’ve given the Police and the NIB the needed support from the word-go. Initially, the Police came to our office; we wrote a statement and then I called on my other colleagues to also do the same. We did and submitted it to the Police and then NIB officials from Accra also came and then we did the same when they interrogated us.

“And I think based on the evidence and the statement that we submitted, have led to what we are seeing today,” says Mr. Oduro-Kwaretng.

Rhodaline Amoah-Darko was the Regional Financial Secretary of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors, before her disappearance.

Representative of the institution, Ama Serwaa Acquah-Ababio said they were in court “to render our support and to tell Rhoda wherever she is that she has a professional body behind her and that we will forge ahead until Rhoda is found dead or alive.

“We cannot sit back and watch such a hard working intelligent lady just disappear. All we are seeking is justice for Rhoda and we know the battle has just begun,” she added.