Achirensuahene asked to open defence

Sunyani High Court II has ruled that a prima facie case had been established against Professor Agyewodin Adu Gyamfi Ampem, Omanhene of Acherensua Traditional Area, and ordered him to open his defence.

The court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie, gave the order when the Prosecution on Tuesday tendered a statutory statement to close its case in the murder trial of the Omanhene and adjourned till Monday, April for Agyewodin Ampem to open his defence.

The Omanhene is alleged to have shot to death one Nii Atoquaye Quansah while a group of youth were attacking his private residence in Achirensua on 17 April last year.

The Prosecutor, Mr Betuuriseeh Cab-Bayuo, Chief State Attorney in Sunyani, called nine prosecution witnesses, including a ballistic expert at the Police Forensic Science Laboratory, Chief Superintendent David Asante-Apeatu.

Others were Dr Ernest Amoah Boateng, Senior Medical Officer at the Manhyia Polyclinic in Kumasi, who conducted the autopsy on Quansah at the District Hospital at Tepa in Ashanti and Detective Sergeant Eric Koduah Agyapong of Brong Ahafo Region Police Headquarters in Sunyani, the investigator in the case