In the early hours of Sunday morning, tragedy struck a family in Ablekuma Joma, Accra, when 24-year-old Stanley Ahaji was fatally shot by a ride-hailing driver, Smith Jache, following what should have been a routine trip.
Stanley, who was due to his education abroad, had ordered a ride for his girlfriend, Owusuwa, from Ablekuma Joma to Kowa’s Estate near Kuntunsi. However, a disagreement over the fare led to a horrifying escalation.
According to Owusuwa, the altercation began when the couple questioned the fare. Contrary to rumors circulating on social media, Owusuwa insists that Stanley did nothing to provoke the driver. “Stanley didn’t say anything that would warrant a man pulling out a gun,” she tearfully recounted. “He was even begging, admitting his fault, and wasn’t raising his voice. I don’t know why the man shot him.”
The situation quickly turned violent when the driver allegedly slapped Stanley and struck him on the back with his gun before firing the fatal shot. Stanley’s family, unaware of the incident, learned of his death through a viral TikTok video showing his body lying in a pool of blood. Ndelali Wisdom, a family spokesperson and a cousin to the deceased, described the shock and anguish they felt upon discovering the news online.
“It was Sunday morning, and we had no idea what had happened,” Wisdom recalled. “I was scrolling through my phone when I saw the news on TikTok. I quickly contacted my uncles, but they didn’t know anything either. It was only when we forwarded the picture to them that they confirmed it was Stanley.”
The devastating news spread rapidly, with bloggers and social media users sharing videos of the scene. Family members rushed to the site, where they were confronted with the grim reality that the lifeless body was indeed that of Stanley Ahaji.
Stanley’s cousin described him as a gentle, respectful young man who avoided trouble and was quick to apologize in the face of disagreements. “Stanley was someone who couldn’t even kill a fowl. There was no fight, no provocation. He was shot in cold blood,” the cousin lamented.
Following the shooting, Smith Jache surrendered to the police at Amasaman. However, his court arraignment at the Adabraka District Court was marred by confusion over jurisdiction, resulting in Jache being returned to police custody. His wife and infant child were present in court, witnessing the chaotic proceedings.
As the case unfolds, Stanley’s family remains resolute in their pursuit of justice. “What is happening now, we do not understand,” Wisdom said. “But at the end of the day, we are fighting for justice. There is law in this country, and no one has the right to take matters into their own hands and kill someone.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Emmanuel Mensah
