Carpenter remanded for murdering brother in-law in Enchi

A forty-year-old carpenter has appeared before the District Magistrate court in Enchi for allegedly murdering his twenty-three-year-old brother in-law by slashing his throat, at Kokoase, a suburb of Enchi.

The accused, Maxwell Oppong, has been charged for provisional murder, but his plea was not been taken.

The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Kwabena Asante, Divisional crime officer of Enchi, told the Court that, the complainant, Thomas Assuah, a farmer, is the elder brother of Paa Kwasi, now deceased.

He said the deceased is the suspect's brother in -law and both lived in the same house with the complainant in Kokoase.

He said on April 21, 2019, at about 8:00 pm, while the deceased and the suspect were in the house a quarrel ensued and both threatened to kill each other before the following day.

He said some neighbours quickly rushed to the scene and separated them but the suspect left the house briefly and returned at about 10:00pm, changed his attire and put on a red ‘T’ shirt and continued with the argument.

The prosecutor said Maxwell alleged he later left the house to sleep in town.

According to the prosecutor, the suspect said while he was asleep, a friend came to inform him that some unknown person had stabbed Paa Kwasi with a knife.

ASP Asante indicated that the suspect went to the place where the alleged crime was committed but on his arrival the deceased had been taken to the Enchi government hospital for treatment.

At the Hospital Paa Kwasi said it was Maxwell who cut his throat with a knife, the prosecutor told the Court.

ASP Asante said due to the severity of the injury the deceased was referred to the Asankragwa Catholic Hospital and then to Komfo Anokye Teaching hospital for further treatment, but he died on his way to Asankragwa.

He appealed to the court to remand Maxwell into police custody to assist them in their investigations as he is the prime suspect.

After listening to the submission, the court, presided over by Mr. Eric Baah Boateng, remanded the accused into police custody and adjourned the case to Monday May 7, 2019.