Assemblyman and son face murder charge

Tema, Sept. 9, GNA - The Tema Community Tribunal on Thursday remanded John Nuertey Akpoh, 25, provisionally charged with murdering Mr Joseph Wisdom Amuzu, a security officer of Intercon Security Services.

Amuzu, who was attached to the American Embassy in Accra, went hunting at Adomorobeh, a village near Dodowa on August 17, but his body was found in a sack three days later in the environs of Seduase, a village near Dodowa.

James Tetteh Akpoh, father of the accused and also the Assemblyman for Seduase and six others, who have been charged with abetment of crime were granted 10 million cedis bail with two sureties to be justified. They are to report to the Police once a week.

The others are Joseph Annan Ashia, 49 and his son Joseph Tetteh Ashia, Obodai Togbor, a taxi driver, Daniel Adjei, Douglas Otoo Okley Oyibi, also a taxi driver and Kwaku Akanglo, caretaker of the late Amuzu's land at Adomorobeh.

Inspector Margaret Nunoo, told the tribunal that the deceased travelled to Adomorobeh on August 16, following a report he received from Akanglo that certain people were trespassing on his land. She said the deceased went on a hunting expedition on the night of August 17, but failed to return.

A search party from Adomorobeh later found his bullet-ridden body in a state of decomposition in a sack on August 20. Amuzu's haversack containing a hunting lamp and his cutlass were lying by the body but his gun is still missing.

Inspector Nunoo said during investigations, it came to light that John Akpoh killed Amuzu, who is also an ex-soldier and with the help of the other accused persons, the deceased's body was conveyed in the boot of a taxicab and dumped under a bridge.

Investigations also revealed that Oyibi also used another taxicab to convey some of the accomplices. Mr Alfred Agbesi, counsel for six of the accused, arguing for bail said that his clients had been brought to court on mere suspicion, since the Police could not even tell, which people were alleged to be encroaching on the deceased's land.

"Some of these vital issues leave the Police investigation too porous to continue to keep the accused persons in custody," Mr Agbesi said. He argued that even if the others had helped in disposing-off the body, it did not constitute an abetment of crime since the crime of murder was already committed. Mr Agbesi asked the tribunal to grant bail to his clients if the evidence could not substantiate the charge of murder.

Mr Ackom Agyepong, counsel for Oyibi said he would file a notice of alibi since his client was working at Suhum at the time of the alleged incident. Capt. Philip Agbeyome (rtd), Chairman of the tribunal, in granting bail upheld the arguments of defence counsel, explaining that the facts presented by the prosecution did not warrant the continued incarceration of those charged with abetment of crime.

He said John Akpoh was, however, being remanded to enable him help the Police in further investigations into the case. They would reappear on October seven.