Accused Wanted Me To Kill Obed - Herbalist Tells Court

Accra, (Greater Accra) 28 Oct. A herbalist at Golokuati in the Volta Region today told a Regional Tribunal in Accra that a police guard who allegedly stole 100 million cedis belonging to the Attorney-General, Dr Obed Asamoah, sought ''my services to spiritually kill his master''. Mr Baka Torton Raphael, alias Alhaji Sika, who described himself as a ''jujuman" said the guard, Constable Fedelix Kwame Yebbi, promised to pay him five million cedis if he killed his master and two other senior police officers. Mr Baka was giving evidence for the prosecution in a case in which Yebbi and Corporal Anthony Kwesi Avalifo, a body guard of Dr Asamoah are charged with conspiracy and stealing. Yebbi and Avalifo have pleaded not rpt not guilty and are each on a 100 million-cedi bail with one surety to be justified. Led in evidence by Mr Anthony Gyambiby, a senior State Attorney, Mr Baka said when he suggested to Yebbi that instead of killing his master, he could make it in a way that his master could forget about the matter, Yebbi insisted on his request. Mr Baka said in the presence of Robert Yebbi, a brother of Yebbi, he performed some rituals in the house of Yebbi. Witness filled a bucket with water, put a knife and some black powder in it and ignited the water which burst into flames. After sometime, witness said he poured the water and the knife away. Witness then tied the two sides of a piece of stick with two talismans and a piece of paper on which the names of those he was supposed to kill had been written by Yebbi. The herbalist again said he tied the two sides of the stick with the hair of a squirrel and a cowrie and slaughtered two fowls and sprinkled the blood on the ''charm''. Witness said he gave the talismans to Robert and asked him to put it under his pillow. Mr Baka said he was paid 200,000 cedis and 20 dollars for the services rendered by a friend of Yebbi because at that time, Constable Yebbi was under interrogation in custody. Mr Baka said when he went back to Golokuati, he reported the matter to the relatives of Dr Asamoah who then informed the Minister. Witness said after the report, Robert came to him with a letter written in English with a cash of 500,000 cedis but he told Robert that he could not read English and that it should be read and translated to him. When the prosecution wanted to tender the letter dated August 13, this year, Captain Nkrabea Effa-Dartey objected but he was overruled by the tribunal. The letter was tendered in evidence and ordered to be sent to the forensic laboratory to determine its author. Another prosecution witness, Mr Daniel Komla Tetteh, a former resident guard of the Minister, told the tribunal that Yebbi told him that during the electioneering campaign in 1992, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) brought huge sums of money to the residence of his master but he did not benefit from it. Witness said Yebbi complained to him that he (Yebbi) was foolish by then but now he would do anything to get some of the money in the next electioneering campaign. Mr Tetteh said he advised Yebbi against that idea and reported the matter to the Minister's driver who informed Dr Asamoah.