Issah Olegor
The Atubiga family has appealed to Christopher, the suspect in the shooting incident involving George Atubiga and Irene Atubiga, to surrender himself to the police, assuring him that he would be assisted to do so safely.
In a press statement issued on behalf of the family, Stephen Atubiga urged Christopher to turn himself in voluntarily rather than wait for security personnel to locate and arrest him.
“I am pleading with you, Christopher, to be a man and turn yourself in to the police, in your own interest, before the police get you from your hideout,” he stated.
Stephen further offered to personally facilitate the suspect’s surrender, asking him to call or disclose his location so he could lead the police to pick him up safely and ensure that he appeared before the court.
The family also expressed gratitude to sympathisers and members of the public who have supported them following the incident.
Family Disputes GH¢500,000 Debt Claims
The Atubiga family has also challenged reports circulating in the media and on social platforms suggesting that George Atubiga owed Christopher GH¢500,000.
According to Stephen, the reports are inaccurate, insisting that the two men were business partners operating a money-lending business rather than being involved in a straightforward debtor-creditor arrangement.
He explained that George was responsible for the business’s operations, including the disbursement and recovery of loans.
Stephen said he had been intervening in disagreements between the business partners for approximately seven months after Christopher and his wife approached him over difficulties recovering loans given to some clients, including individuals described as their direct and indirect family members.
He claimed that, at one point, he voluntarily agreed to repay Christopher on behalf of a family member who was struggling to settle a loan, particularly the principal amount.
According to him, Christopher was expected to collect a cheque from him as part of the arrangement, which was intended to stop further pressure on the family member.
Stephen further alleged that the meeting which preceded the shooting of George and Irene took place without his knowledge or approval, despite his repeated instructions that the parties should no longer meet privately to resolve their disagreements.
He said he had asked all parties to communicate through him whenever issues relating to Christopher arose.
According to the statement, Stephen had also been assisting Christopher with personal disputes involving other individuals, including accompanying or intervening on his behalf at police stations whenever he was contacted.
He described Christopher as someone who sometimes called him late at night to express emotional distress over his problems.Stephen also disclosed that Christopher’s wife, Beatrice, had recently approached him for help over what he described as an abusive relationship.
He claimed that he advised her to take a break from the relationship and warned Christopher against physically assaulting his wife.
Allegation of Concealed Weapon
Providing his account of the events leading to the shooting, Stephen alleged that Christopher and his wife drove to George Atubiga’s residence on the morning of the incident and picked him up in their vehicle.They subsequently travelled to Irene Atubiga’s house for a meeting, where the shooting reportedly occurred.
Stephen alleged that Christopher had concealed a firearm under his underwear without the knowledge of the other people involved.He described the incident as premeditated, but these claims remain allegations contained in the family’s statement and have not been independently established.
Stephen said he only learnt about the shooting after Christopher’s wife reportedly called him that morning, crying and informing him that her husband had shot George and Irene.He said he was asked to come to the scene following the phone call.
Family Calls for Responsible Media Reporting
The Atubiga family has urged journalists, media organisations and social media users to exercise caution when reporting on the incident.Stephen appealed to the public to establish the facts before circulating information, particularly regarding the alleged GH¢500,000 debt and the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
He maintained that the family had been attempting to manage the disagreements between the parties before the fatal incident and insisted that the meeting should not have taken place without his knowledge.
