Ya-Na's Murder: Evidence Is Hard To Come By Says Okudzeto Ablakwa

A Deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah, has refuted claims being made by children of the late Ya-Na Yakubu Andani 11, former Paramount Chief of Dagbon that the NDC has reneged on its promise to unravel circumstances surrounding their father's death and also bring the perpetrators to book. Mr. Okudzeto contends that the NDC did not give a time limit as to when the killers would be found, but only promised detailed investigation into the murder. He stressed that the NDC's manifesto, only stated that �a more serious approach would be mounted to look for the perpetrators of Ya-Na�s murder�. Speaking to Peace FM on �Kokrokoo�, he said the Mills administration had not forgotten about the promises made by the NDC when it was in opposition to find the killers of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani, but it was "hard to come by evidence of a crime when time had elapsed on the deed." "Evidence for prosecution would be scarce due to the time of the murder,ie � about 8 years ago," he said. Ya-Na Yakubu Andani was killed with some 40 others on March 27 2002, when a protracted chieftaincy dispute between the Andani Gate and Abudu Gate boiled over. Though he was non-committal as to the exact time investigations into the murder of the late King would be completed, Mr. Okudzeto gave the assurance that government will get to the bottom of the matter. "Government would come out at the appropriate time to justify its investigations," he said. The children of the late Ya-Na Yakubu Andani, led by its spokesperson, Andani Yakubu, held a press conference on Tuesday, reminding the government of its promise to find the killers of Ya- Na. Andani Yakubu said the family was disappointed by the government�s lack of action on the matter, 13months after winning power, adding that they suspect that nothing at all will be done about it.