By:Emelia Ennin Abbey
A Nigerian nursing student in Ghana is fighting for her life at the 37 Military Hospital after a friend she was living with allegedly poured acid on her at Auntie Aku, near Santa Maria in Accra.
The victim, identified as Kasali Kofoworola Zainab, 25, of the Pherson Health College at Achimota in Accra, was sleeping on a couch when her friend poured the acid on her.
The police gave the name of Kasali’s friend, who is suspected to have poured the acid on Kasali, as Eugenia Billiana Coleman, a 32-year-old businesswoman.
Victim tells police her ordeal
Kasali told the police on her sickbed that Eugenia subjected her to the acid bath after she had rejected a request by Eugenia to join her in her illegal narcotic business.
She is said to have told the police that Eugenia asked her to go with her (Eugenia) to Tanzania to survey the security condition in that country before they could convey cocaine there later.
According to the police, Kasali said she declined to give her passport to Eugenia for the processing of their travel documents, since she did not want to be involved in narcotic business.
Eugenia Billiana Coleman, the suspect
However, Eugenia, who denied being the culprit, claims some unknown assailants threw the acid on Kasali while she (suspect) was out of the house.
Kasali is said to have moved from her rented apartment at Auntie Aku, near Sowutuom, to live with Eugenia in the same area after Eugenia had asked her to share her room, following a series of robbery attacks on Kasali.
A second person, identified as Samuel Boateng, an accountant with the Ghana Cocoa Board, is also in the custody of the Sowutuom Police on suspicion of being Eugenia’s accomplice.
Kasali, who sustained burns on her face, the front part of her body, buttocks, hands and legs, is said to have woken up from her sleep screaming hysterically at about 1:30 a.m. on November 18, 2015 after the acid had been poured on her.
Police findings in preliminary investigations
When contacted, the Sowutuom District Police Commander, Superintendent of Police Ms Susana Adjei, confirmed Eugenia and Boateng’s arrest.
She said Kasali had told police investigators on her sickbed that when she felt the effect of the acid on her body, she started screaming, but Eugenia, who was standing by her, told her to stop shouting, as nobody would hear her.
Kasali is also said to have told the police that Eugenia later dragged her by the hair to the bathroom and put her under the shower.
Ms Adjei said the police, in their preliminary investigations, found that even though the suspect and the victim lived in a compound house, none of the tenants was called in to assist Kasali.
Kasali also told the police that after pleading with Eugenia to take her to hospital, the latter, who failed to inform anyone in the compound house, did not do so immediately, but rather drove her around town.
Hospital causes arrest of suspect
Police investigations have established that Eugenia drove towards Tema, using the Spintex Road, until a police patrol team told her to go to the 37 Military Hospital.
At the 37 Military Hospital, records show that Eugenia arrived at the facility at 5:30 a.m. and failed to report the incident to the police.
While at the hospital, a witness whose name is being withheld heard Boateng, believed to be an accomplice, telling Eugenia that life would have been simple if she had killed Kasali.
Ms Adjei said even though Eugenia was told by the hospital authorities to report the case to the police, she refused to do so until the Airport Police was called in to arrest her.
The Airport Police subsequently transferred the case to the Sowutuom Police for further investigations.
Writer’s email: emelia.ennin@graphic.com.gh
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