Dozens of individuals gathered in Etobicoke on a Saturday morning to honor Belinda Sarkodie, an innocent bystander who tragically lost her life in a shooting incident in Hamilton in July. Sarkodie was fatally shot on July 11 while waiting at a bus stop in downtown Hamilton.
Her family, hailing from Manitoba and Ghana, traveled to Ontario to lay Sarkodie to rest, an event they never anticipated attending, according to her uncle, Paul Agyemang. Describing Sarkodie as an exceptional student, a devout believer, and a friendly individual, Agyemang emphasized the family’s disbelief and the need for a proper burial to achieve closure.
The grieving family is urging government authorities to take decisive action to eliminate gun violence in the country, emphasizing that innocent lives, like Sarkodie’s, should not be lost to such senseless acts. Speaking through an interpreter, Sarkodie’s mother, Emme Duncan, expressed her profound grief over the loss of her daughter, stating that her life feels incomplete without Belinda.
Emmanuel Duodu, President of the Ghanaian Canadian Association of Ontario, highlighted the impact of Sarkodie’s death on the Ghanaian community, fostering a sense of insecurity and vulnerability among its members. He underscored the need for justice in the wake of such tragedies, recalling past incidents of innocent lives lost to gun violence within the community.
Despite considering Canada a safe place, Duodu stressed the importance of apprehending the suspect responsible for Sarkodie’s death, echoing the sentiments of the grieving family and community members seeking closure. Hamilton police issued a warrant for the arrest of a 17-year-old suspect linked to the shooting on July 13, yet the suspect remains at large, prolonging the investigation.
With the suspect still evading capture, Sarkodie’s mother expressed her ongoing distress and desire for justice, emphasizing the irreplaceable void left by her daughter’s untimely passing. The family remains resolute in their pursuit of accountability, urging authorities to bring those responsible for the tragedy to justice and provide closure for all affected by the loss.
