Ten to die for role in the 2007 Atronie murder

Sunyani (B/A), Aug. 25, GNA - The Sunyani High Court two, presided over by Justice Godwin Gabor, on Tuesday, imposed the death sentence on 10 accused persons standing trial before it for murder.

The seven-member jury found the accused guilty of conspiracy to murder, murder and causing unlawful damage.

The court also sentenced them to 20 years imprisonment each with hard labour, for conspiracy to murder and causing unlawful damage. The sentences will run concurrently.

The convicts were Douglas Afriyie, Stephen Donkor, Kusi Nyantakyi, Adama Hamidu, James Dankwa and Kwame Yeboah Addae.

Others were Kwadwo Awuah, Kwame Anokye, Emmanuel Kwaku Lartey and Kwame Kra. Kwaku Agyemang Badu, also accused, was however acquitted and discharged.

They were tried by the court for the murder of Mr. Anthony Yeboah Boateng,

administrator of the government hospital in Goaso and Presiding Member of the Asunafo Municipal Assembly, at Atronie near Sunyani, on April 8, 2007.

After the pronouncement of the sentences, the convicts were immediately transported to the Nsawam prisons to serve their sentences.

Mr Boateng was murdered in cold blood by some youth at Atronie on the night of Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007, when he and his wife, together with a Roman Sister were returning from the regional hospital in Sunyani to Goaso.

The deceased was conveying the body of a dead relative from the hospital to Goaso in his Audi saloon car when the youth, who had barricaded the main road in the town, stopped the deceased and killed him instantly.

The youth had barricaded the road allegedly following the gruesome murder of one

Amidu on his farm and whom they suspected was murdered for ritual purposes.

Coincidently, finding the corpse in Mr Boateng's car, the youth mistook him to be a

ritual murderer and killed him.