Watchman Acquitted Of Murder

Tema, - 11 June The Tema Community Tribunal has discharged a watchman who shot and killed an unidentified person who was among ten thieves who went to steal liquified petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders at the GOIL filling depot at the Tema Industrial Area. Osumadu Amadu, whose plea was not rpt not taken on a charge of murder was set free because in the view of the Attorney-General (A-G) ''what the suspect did could be justified as a force used in the defence of property''. According to the A-G, a report was made to the police about the shooting, and investigations revealed that there had been widespread stealing of the company's property, including cylinders in recent times, and again, the gun used was licensed in the name of the suspect.

Chief Inspector Beatrice Gaisie, who presented the case before the tribunal, chaired by Mr John Akparibo, said Amadu was on night duty on April 16, 1996, at the depot. At about 11 p.m, he saw ten people enter the depot by climbing over the fence wall after they had removed some of the iron rods fixed on it. The prosecution said the watchman, who saw the thieves taking a number of cylinders away, gave them a hot chase, but they refused to surrender and as a result he shot and killed one of them from behind with a gun supplied by his employers. Three of the cylinders were found abandoned by the thieves in the bush behind the wall together with a rubber sandal and a yellow ''T'' shirt.