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Remains of six
Ghanaians killed in Italy to be flown in today
Accra, Dec. 23, Ghanadot/GNA – The Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD on Tuesday announced
that the remains of the six Ghanaians killed in Italy will
be flown to Ghana Tuesday evening and handed over to their
families, after proper identification.
A release signed by Mr Akwasi Osei Adjei, sector Minister
said he had met with the families yesterday December 22,
2008 to extend the condolences of the government and people
of Ghana and also to brief them on developments so far.
It said it would be recalled that on September 18, this
year, an unspecified number of person, mostly of African
origin, were shot at without provocation in the Italian city
of Naples, resulting in several deaths, including six
Ghanaians.
The Ghanaians include Kwadwo Owusu Wiafe, Karim Yakubu
(alias Awanfa), Kwame Antwi Julius Francis, all of Nkoranza
and Ibrahim Muslim (alias Alhaji), Justice Sonny Abu, and
Eric Affum Yeboah (alias Tailor) all of Kumasi.
The release said the motive of the crime remains unknown to
date but it has been established that this cowardly and
dastardly act was carried out by a group with links to the
Casalesi clan of the Naples Camora Mafia.
It stated that in the aftermath of the killings the Minister
summoned the Italian Ambassador to Ghana to condemn the
incident in the strongest possible terms, while demanding
that the Italian government took prompt action to apprehend
and punish the perpetrators of the gruesome crime.
It said on the instructions of the Ministry, Ghana’s
Ambassador to Italy initiated discussions with the Italian
authorities on a number of issues, including the expeditious
investigation and prosecution of the culprits; repatriation
of the remains of the deceased to Ghana for proper burial;
and the appropriate compensation to be paid to the bereaved
families.
The release said as a result of the cooperation received
from the Italian authorities, the remains of the six
Ghanaians will be flown to Ghana this evening and handed
over to their families, after proper identification.
It stated that the Ministry, through the Ghana Embassy in
Rome, will continue to remain engaged with the Italian
authorities on matters that were outstanding from this
unfortunate incident, including the judicial processes to
determine the appropriate compensation that will be paid to
the families of the victims.
The release said while regretting the circumstances under
which the six compatriots lost their lives, the Ministry
assured the general public of its commitment to protecting
the interests and welfare of Ghanaian citizens residing
abroad, legally or otherwise.
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