4 on trial for murder

Four men are standing trial at an Accra Fast Track High Court for their alleged involvement in the murder of two youths at Berekuso in the Eastern Region, during a communal violence a decade ago.

This follows a committal proceeding from an Accra District Court presided over by Ali Baba to the High Court for the trial of the four, Daniel Nana Affum aka K.K., Nicholas Tawia Asante, Joseph Kwadjo Fianko and Felix Okine Aryeetey alias Adjetey after the Attorney-General prepared a bill of indictment two years ago to implicate them.

The violence had emanated from a quarrel between two women, Juliana Akuffo and Faustina Asantewaa, leading to the death of James Amaning, the son of the chief of Berekuso.

The four accused persons, who were part of a group of seven, allegedly attacked one Atta Bosomtwe, the deceased, and his twin brother after they heard that a relative of the twins had murdered James Amaning.

Felix Okine Aryeetey, one of the accused persons, allegedly used a dagger to stab Atta Bosomtwe in the left part of the chest.

Although he managed to run home, he reportedly died shortly on arrival. The other victim, one Akosua Eku was also allegedly attacked in her house and shot in the lower abdomen. She sustained severe wounds and died some months after undergoing medical treatment.

The four accused persons are being tried for conspiracy to commit murder at the court presided over by Justice Mustapha Logoh.

Felix, Daniel and Fianko face three separate charges of murder, abetment of murder and use of offensive weapon respectively. Daniel Afum has three additional charges of use of offensive weapon.

All the accused persons, for the past 10 years, have remained in prison custody.

So far two witnesses including Richard Kwame Boateng have been called to testify in the matter which commenced a few months ago.

Richard Boateng, who said he lives at Koforidua and had also come under attack by the group, described to the court yesterday how he was manhandled by them in his house.

He stated that on that fateful day when the accused and their accomplices arrived in his house, they fired gunshots through his window into the room. For fear of losing his wife and children, he said he came out, and got shot at the back.

According to him, one Acquah used a stick fixed with spikes to hit his forehead making him bleed profusely and he fell unconscious. He was later sent to the hospital by the police where he was treated and discharged.

The witness was vigorously cross-examined by G.N.K Ziwuni, lawyer for the accused persons after which the matter was adjourned to October 16.

The facts of the case are that on August 7, 2003 at about 6:30pm, a quarrel ensued between Juliana Akuffo (Oye Boadu) and Faustina Asantewaa (Adwoa Faustina) and in the course of the exchanges, Faustina allegedly insulted Juliana as a fool who had sold her husband one Kwaku Abdulai Amuzu to the chief of Berekuso, Nana Oteng Korankye and Nana Acquah to be killed at Wassa and used for rituals.

Juliana, out of anger, reported the matter to the chief, who asked her to inform Nana Acquah for the matter to be handled.

However, Juliana failed to report the matter to Nana Acquah and rather went to the house of Faustina the next day and engaged the latter’s sister in a fight.

When James Amaning, son of the chief, heard the issue concerning his father, he allegedly mobilized some irate youth who stormed the house of Faustina but met Kwesi Tetteh who warned them to leave the house.

In the ensuing commotion, Kwesi Tetteh entered his room, returned with a cutlass and slashed James Amaning on the neck and head, killing him instantly.

The facts said when Daniel Afum heard that Amaning had been killed, he organized some men including the other accused persons, to attack Kwesi Tetteh; but by the time they got there he had fled from the house.

In an angry mood, when they met the deceased Atta Bosomtwe and his twin brother, they allegedly decided to vent their spleen on them and subsequently killed Bosomtwe. They further attacked relatives of Kwesi Tetteh including Akosua Eku and her secretary, Richard Kwame Boateng.

Kwesi Tetteh is also separately facing a charge of manslaughter at the High Court.