Cape Coast Technical University students grieve over brutish murder of colleague

The brutish killing of the 24-year-old “brilliant and promising” student, as described by her school, occurred barely four months to complete her three-year HND course and two days to her birthday, Sunday May 15.

In a sombre atmosphere, characterised by weeping and dirges, some students of CCTU held a vigil on her birthday to mourn and eulogise her.

A visit by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to the University’s campus and to the hostel where Ms Clark lived, saw some students in dejected mood and some, physically traumatised by the incident.

One of her course mates she lived with in the same hostel, told the GNA that she had been experiencing headaches from crying since the day the unfortunate news broke out.

She described Nana Ama Clark as a “cool person” who hardly spoke unless she was engaged.

“She was very reserved and always in her space. We are all in shock and I cannot get over it anytime soon. We finished with our last paper last Thursday and I planned on leaving this Thursday but I cannot stay any longer and so I will leave Cape Coast today,” she revealed.

Narrating how the news got to her, the friend who pleaded anonymity, said she was asleep around 1000 hours Saturday when some of her colleagues knocked on her door to ask her of Ms Clark’s room and she directed them.

She said some of the students, including class representatives, had heard of the murder and were going round to be sure everyone was safe.

Ms Clark was not in her room when they visited and all efforts to reach her via phone were not successful, she added.

She said the Police later sent her name and index number to the school’s administration to confirm the identity of the deceased.

“I don’t know how to explain the feeling. We have just four months to leave school but she has been killed,” she said, showing a bloodshot eye.

A level 200 student, Daniel Dougan said he saw her around 15:00hours in an elated mood after she wrote her last paper.

“I was so sad when I heard the news and realised she was the one in the picture my friends showed to me. She was a cool girl” he said.

In spite of the development, some of the student said they did not feel insecure because of the presence of some security personnel at the hostel.

Meanwhile, the boyfriend of the deceased, Nicholas Ato Bronk Taylor, has been remanded into Police custody by a Cape Coast District Court in connection with the murder.

Taylor’s plea was not taken and he is expected back in Court on Tuesday, May 31, 2022.

The University on the other hand, had called on the Ghana Police Service to expedite action on investigating the case.

In a statement dated May 16, 2022 and copied to the Ghana News Agency, the management of the school described the incident as tragic and therefore called for the swift arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the “gruesome murder”.

“It is difficult to comprehend and express the enormity of the loss of this bright and promising young Student,” the statement said and further commiserated with the family of the deceased.

The school, however, assured students, parents, and the public that security at the University remained strong.