Data from the Statistics Research and Monitoring Unit (SRMU) of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service reveals that some 306 murder cases have been reported to the police from January 1 to June 30 this year.
261 males, 52 females, of this number, some 261 are males while 52 are females. The report indicated that 313 cases were reported but only seven turned out to be murder.
The report indicated that in the period, though some 313 cases were reported to the police, they established that only 306 were actually murders, after investigation.
This means that seven of the reported cases turned out not to be murder after all.
Who are these victims?
Much as these are disturbing numbers, one must not lose sight of the fact that these numbers represent those cases that have been reported to the police. We don't know how many victims have gone under the radar.
Also, one must not get caught up in the blinding light of the numbers and forget that these are real people who had names, lives, and ambitions.
These are fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, uncles, aunties, and friends. These are Ghanaian citizens whose lives have been cut short.
These are nurses, traders, drivers, policemen, soldiers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, choristers, pastors, students, and office workers. These are all of us.
Impact
An effect of this situation is that members of the family would have to put their feelings on hold as they follow court hearings, trials, and numerous appeals.
This, therefore, makes it more difficult than any other death they would have experienced in the family.
The sudden nature of murder also intensifies the grief, knowing very well that the person died at the hands of another.
Sadly, the immediate aftermath of a murder case when victims are feeling shocked, disbelief, disorientation, and powerlessness seems to be the time when the media is most interested in the story. This sometimes causes what some victims refer to as additional victimisation.
Regional breakdown
The data shows that the Ashanti, Greater, and Eastern regions recorded the highest number of reported cases.
On the other side of the scale, the North East, Northern, and Oti regions have the fewest reported cases.
Ashanti Region
The data also indicates that the Ashanti Region is the murder capital of the country, having so far recorded the highest number of murder cases, with 72 cases recorded so far. Of these, 68 are males while five are female.
Though 73 cases were reported to the police, investigations revealed that one was not a murder incident.
Males
It also shows that five of the male victims were aged between ages 0 and 19. Some 14 victims were aged between 20 and 29. Another 31 were between the ages of 30 and 39. Victims over 40 years old were about 18.
Females
Regarding female victims, three were aged between zero and 19 years while the two others were between 20 and 29 years. S
tatus of cases
Out of the 73 reported cases, 72 were confirmed to be true cases of murder, and one refused. So far, 30 cases have been sent to court and are under trial while 41 are under investigation, with one case lodged at the Attorney General's Department. None have so far been closed.
Greater Accra Region
It was followed by the Greater Accra Region, which has so far recorded 40 cases in the first six months of the year. Of these, 28 are males while 12 are females.
Though 40 cases were reported to the police, investigations revealed that one was not a murder incident.
Males
The data also shows that while none of the male victims were between ages zero and 19, 12 of them were aged between 20 and 29 years.
Of those who were between 30 and 39 years, as well as those above 40 years, eight victims
were recorded for each bracket.
Females
For female victims, one was aged between zero and 19 years while four were between 20 and 29 years.
One victim was in the 30-39 years bracket while six of the female victims were over the age of 40.
Status of cases
Of the 40 reported cases, 39 were confirmed to be true cases. About 19 of the cases have been sent to court while another 19 are under investigation. One case has so far been close. There is currently no case at the AG's Department.
Eastern Region
In the Eastern Region, 39 suspected murder cases were reported to the police in the first half of the year.
Thirty of the victims were males while nine were females.
Males
About two of the male victims were between 0 and 19 years of age. Four others were aged between 20 and 29 years.
About 13 were between 30 and 39 years while 11 other victims were above 40 years.
Females
None of the female victims was between the 0-29 years bracket. However, three of them were between 30 and 39 years. The six remaining victims were over 40 years.
Status of cases
All reported cases were confirmed by the police to be true murder cases. So far, 24 cases have been sent to court, with one person being convicted, even though the report says no case has so far been closed in the region.
Central Region
In the Central Region, 24 cases were reported to the police in the first half of the year. About 18 of the victims were males while the remaining 6 were females.
Males
One victim was between 0 and 19 years. Some 13 were aged between 20 and 29 years. Another three were aged between 30 and 39 years. One victim was above 40 years.
Females
Two of the female victims were in the 20-29 years bracket while the other four were between 30 and 39 years.
Status of cases
All 24 cases were confirmed by the police as murders, but only 11 have been sent to court and are under trial. Twelve of these cases are currently under investigation.
Volta Region
The police in the Volta Region received 22 reports of murders in the first six months of 2021. Of these, 19 were confirmed by the police to be murders.
Males
Of the 17 confirmed male victims, 15 were between 30 and 39 years of age. The two other victims were above 40 years. None of the victims was in the 0-29 bracket.
Females
Four of the female victims in the Volta Region were between 30 and 39 years. The last victim was above 40 years. No murdered women were between zero and 29 years.
Status of cases
Of the 22 murder cases reported in the Volta Region, 19 have been confirmed by the police after investigation while three have been “refused”.
Of the confirmed 19, six have been sent to court, with some suspects currently on trial. Twelve other cases are under investigation. Three cases are currently at the AG's Department.
Bono East Region
The police in the Bono East Region received 21 reports of murders from January to June this year. Of this, 20 were males while one was female.
Males
Of the 20 male victims, one was aged between 0 and 19 years. Six others were aged between 20 and 29 years. Some four others were aged between 30 and 39 years while the remaining nine victims were above 40 years.
Females
The sole female victim was above 40 years old.
Status of cases
About five of the cases are currently in court while 15 others are under investigation. One case is currently with the AG's Department.
Tema Region
All seven cases recorded in the region have been confirmed. It was noted that all victims were males.
Males
Victims aged between 0 and 19 were four while those between the age brackets of 20 – 29 were two. One victim was recorded to be above 40 years.
Status of cases
So far, two cases have been sent to court and are under trial while five are under investigation.
Western Region
Some seven cases were reported in the region. All cases have been confirmed true, with males being the most affected in the region.
Males
It was recorded that five male murder cases were reported. All five victims were between the ages of 20 and 29.
Females
The two female victims recorded were between 30 and 39 years.
Status of cases
Out of the seven cases, five cases have been sent to court and are under trial while two are under investigation.
Upper West Region
About seven cases were recorded in the Upper West Region. The SRMU data showed that six males and one female were victims of murder cases in the region for the first half of the year.
Males
It shows that one victim was between the ages of 20 and 29 and another one was between the ages of 30 and 39. In addition, four male victims were above 40 years.
Females
Regarding female victims, only one case was recorded between the ages of 20 and 29.
Status of cases
The CID noted in the data that six of these cases are true while one was refused. All six cases are currently under investigation.
Ahafo Region
The data points that the region recorded six murder cases, with all cases confirmed so far. Males
All six cases are males. While four of them are aged between 20 and 29, two are between the ages of 30 and 39.
Status of cases
So far, two cases have been sent to court and are under trial while four are under investigation.
Northern Region
The data also indicates that the Northern Region is one of the least regions with reported murder cases. The region recorded five cases, and all were males.
Males
It shows that two of the male victims were aged over 40 years and two others were between the ages of 30 and 39 while one was between the ages of 20 and 29.
Status of cases
All five were confirmed to be true cases of murder and are under investigation.
Oti Region
The data from the SRMU revealed that the region also recorded five murder cases. It was noted that all cases involved males aged 40 and above.
Status of cases
Out of the five reported cases, four were confirmed to be true cases of murder, and one refused. So far, one case has been sent to court and is under trial while two are under investigation, with one case lodged at the Attorney-General's Department. None have so far been closed.
North-East Region
The North East Region, just like the Northern and Oti regions, also recorded five murder cases. The data shows that all five cases were males.
Males
It also shows that four of the male victims were aged between 20 and 29 and one is between 30 and 39 years. Status of cases
All five cases were confirmed to be true cases of murder. The data shows that one case has been sent to court so far and is under trial. Some four cases are also under investigation.
Bono Region
The Bono Region recorded 16 murder cases in the first six months of 2021. Twelve of the victims were males while four were females.
Males
Of the 12 male victims, one was between the ages 0 and 19. Three were in the 20-29 years bracket while four each were in the 30-39 and over 40 years brackets.
Females
Among the female victims, two were in the 20-29 years bracket while one each was in the 30-39 and over 40 years brackets.
Status of cases
Half (eight) of the cases recorded in the Bono Region are currently in court while the other half are under investigation.
Western North Region
In the Western North, 13 murders were recorded by the police in the first half of the year. Nine of the victims were male while four were female.
Male
Two of the victims in this region were aged between zero and 19 years. One was aged between 20 and 29 years old while another two were between 30 and 39 years old. The remaining 4 were above 40 years old.
Female
One of the female victims in the Western North was aged between 0 and 19 years of age. Two of them were between 30 and 39 years while one was above 40 years old.
Status of cases
Some seven of the 13 reported cases have been sent to court, with suspects currently on trial while the six remaining cases are under investigation.
Upper East Region
In the Upper East Region, 12 murder cases were recorded in the first half of the year. These involved 11 males and one female. Males
Two of the victims in the Upper East were aged between 20 and 29 years. Another four were aged between 30 and 39 years. Some five others were above 40 years old.
Females
The only female murder victim in the region within the period was over 40 years old.
Status of cases
All 12 cases are currently under investigation.
Savannah Region
The police in the Savannah Region recorded 11 murder cases involving 11 males and two females.
Males
Three of the male victims in the Savannah Region were aged between 20 and 29 years. Another four victims were aged between 30 and 39 years old. Two others were over 40 years old.
Females
The two female murder victims were both over 40 years.
Status of cases
Two of the cases in the Savannah Region are currently before court. Some seven others are under investigation while two others are with the AG's Department.
Source: The Finder