No prosecutor at Akwamufie killers trial

An Accra Central District Magistrate Court yesterday adjourned hearing of the case involving the six persons arrested in connection with the murder of two African Americans at Fihankra, near Akwamufie in the Eastern Region.

This was because neither the prosecutor nor the investigator, who ought to have transported Anokye Yaw Frimpong, was in court.

This compelled the court, presided over by Veronique Manfort, to adjourn the case to June 30, 2015.

The accused persons, Nana Appia-Nti III, mechanic; Brenda Kareema Mohammed, a pensioner and her son, Yazid Alazim Mohammed, a businessman, Mensah Kamaugogo Muata, a Surgeon Assistant and Nana Obiri Yeboah, farmer, were present for the trial.

Charles Owu, lawyer for the accused persons, said the prosecution had been informed of the date for the hearing and wondered why it did not show up for the trial.

He prayed the court to give the prosecution 14 days to “do their homework.”

Mr. Owu further told the court that the accused persons had also been granted bail by an Accra Human High Court.

The six persons are standing trial for conspiracy to murder and murder.

According to the prosecution, led by ASP Stephen Adjei, the accused persons, between 4 and 5 May, 2015, at Fihankra, did agree and acted together with a common criminal objective to murder Mamelina Diop, 75 and Nzinga Khaliya Jaana, 69.

It would be recalled that the Akosombo police mounted a search for the two deceased African-Americans after they were reported missing.

The search led to the discovery of freshly dug grave, about 150 meters to Frimpong’s maize farm, in which the bodies of the women who were pensioners from the American Civil Service, were discovered.

According to the facts presented by ASP Adjei, interrogations led to the arrest of the accused persons and Frimpong, 24, who confessed to the crime while the others denied their involvement.

Anokye Frimpong, after confessing, demonstrated to the police how he murdered the two sisters after which he buried their bodies in a shallow grave.

Frimpong is said to have committed a similar offence.