Journalists who attended a press conference called by the Police to brief the public on the disappearance of hiplife musician Theophilus Tagoe, popularly known as Castro, and his female companion, Janet Bandu left the event disappointed.
Most of them left the Police Headquarters, the venue for the press conference, with more questions than answers.
Rescue operations started Sunday, July 6, 2014 for Castro and Janet Bandu, after they went missing earlier that day while jet skiing in the waters of Ada.
Castro and Black Stars captain, Asamoah Gyan were at the Peace Holiday Resort, a beach resort in Ada, together with some friends, for recreation when the unfortunate incident occurred.
The Marine Division of the Ghana Police Service intensified search operations but later declared that hopes of finding Castro and Janet alive, seemed to have been lost.
The press conference, which started hours late and was addressed by Mr Prosper Kwame Agblor, Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department CID, had virtually nothing new except to re-echo what is already in the public domain.
Dead or alive?
The police stressed that they have not abandoned the search for the musician and his female companion and that until they find their bodies, they can’t conclude they are alive or dead.
“The search is still ongoing. For now the police are treating them as missing, until they are found either alive or dead. In accordance with the Evidence Decree of 1975, NRCD 323, section 33, the missing persons cannot be said to be dead until they have ‘not been heard of for seven years despite diligent effort (whether or not within that period) to find them,” Mr Agblor said.
Investigations so far
The police said as part of their investigations, about 14 persons, including Asamoah Gyan, Baffour Gyan, and Samuel Anim Addo (Manager of Asamaoh Gyan), who went to the Peace Holiday Resort are currently assisting the police.
“Witnesses have been contacted and statements obtained from them,” The CID said. Also the Jet Ski that Castro used, according to the police, has been retrieved and “the general condition of the jet ski regarding the disappearance of Castro and Janet was very good.” The artiste was wearing a Type C life jacket which is lower than a Type A life jacket.
Two adult male bodies, the police noted, have been discovered at the Sakumono and Anyanui beaches but “none of them has been identified to be that of Castro.”
The Police also disclosed that they are in contact with Ghana’s neighbouring countries through INTERPOL and have requested them to alert the Ghana police “anytime unknown persons who answer to the descriptions of Castro and Janet are found within their borders.”
Arrests
There are have been several calls for the police to arrest Asamoah Gyan to answer questions with regards to the disappearance of Castro,
But the police say calls for the arrest of Asamoah Gyan are unfounded and that all persons who were with Castro and Janet before the incident are assisting the police with investigations. Until there is a need for an arrest, no one will be arrested.
The police have also disclosed their intentions of inviting Lawyer Maurice Ampaw, who alleged that he knew the whereabouts of Castro, to help assist them with their investigations.
“Anyone who has any information should come to us and volunteer the information. Because I’ve already stated that we are still searching for them.
If the lawyer feels that they are not dead. It’s in line with what I’ve stated that we are not considering them dead until we find their bodies. So if that lawyer has anything he should come and volunteer the information to us then together we will work to unravel the mystery,” Mr Agblor said.
Leaked wireless message
The Ghana Police Service started investigating the circumstances under which a restricted police wireless message indicating that hip-life musician, Castro, has been found alive and on admission at a hospital in Togo, was leaked to the public.
Commenting on the leaked wireless message, the Director of the CID said, “We took a serious view of that and we’ve even taken internal action against the officer who leaked that message but we’ve been able to identify the officer concerned and interdicted [him] while internal investigation is going on.”
Some journalists who spoke to Myjoyonline.com after the press conference expressed their disappointment at the event stating the police failed to give them any new information about the artiste’s disappearance.
According to them, almost all what the police said are already known.
