A youth group in Lassia in the Wa West District has called for a transparent investigation and prosecution process following the alleged kidnapping and murder of two young men from the community in November last year.
The group, calling itself the Concerned Youth of Lassia, raised the concerns during a press conference at Bakpaateng, where it urged authorities to intensify efforts to ensure justice for the victims and their families.
According to the group, the victims—Mr Kwame Gah John and Mr Dondomo Moses—were reportedly travelling to the market at Wechiau, the district capital, on November 23, 2025, when they were allegedly abducted and killed at Kandeu, a neighbouring community. The whereabouts of their bodies, they said, remain unknown.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr Jery Sei called for the immediate arrest of all persons reportedly mentioned in a confession linked to the case. He said that although ten suspects were initially said to have been arrested after a security meeting at the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council, only one suspect remained in custody while the others had been granted bail.
“We are appealing to the authorities to ensure that all individuals linked to the alleged crime are apprehended and that the bodies of the victims are found to give the families closure,” he said.
The group also raised concerns about what it described as possible conflicts of interest in the prosecution process. It alleged that the defence counsel for the accused person belonged to a law firm associated with the Upper West Regional Minister, who chairs the Regional Security Council, and that the lawyer was related to the state attorney handling the case.
The youth argued that such relationships could undermine public confidence in the justice process and called for an independent review to ensure transparency and fairness in the handling of the case.
Mr Yiribie Kuur, the father of Mr Dondomo Moses, appealed to the authorities to intensify efforts to locate the bodies of the victims and ensure that those responsible were brought to justice.
Beyond the murder case, the group expressed concern about what it described as a worsening security situation in the area. They cited previous incidents, including a misunderstanding between residents of Lassai-Tuolu and Kandeu in June 2024 that reportedly resulted in three deaths, as well as an earlier attack on Lassai-Tuolu in October 2015 in which a resident was killed.
They also alleged that members of the Birifor community in the area faced intimidation that limited their movement, particularly when travelling to the market at Wechiau.
While stressing that the people of Lassia were peace-loving, the group said they would continue to demand justice and protection for their community.
