Chief, four others on provisional murder charges

The Chief of Gomoa Dabanyin, Nana Idan Amoah XII, and four others were on Friday arraigned before an Agona Swedru magistrates’ court on provisional charges of conspiring to commit murder and murdering one Jackson Owusu from the town.

Their pleas were not taken and the court ordered them to re-appear on October 19, 2012.

Nana Amoah XII, aged 60, was granted bail in the sum of GHC10,000 on health grounds whilst Kwesi Essuman, Secretary to the Chief, Kwabena Idan and Kwame Okyere were remanded in Nsawam prison custody.

One of the suspects Kofi Yenu is now at large and the court ordered the police to look for him.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Opoku Mensah told the court presided over by Mr Frimpong Kwaku Baah that the complainant in the case is Mr. Yaw Owusu, father of the deceased, residing at Kwao Biri, a suburb of Mankrong.

The Prosecution said about a year ago, there was a misunderstanding between Nana Idan and the deceased family over a piece of land belonging to the deceased mother.

Inspector Mensah said in July, 2012, Nana Idan wanted to sell the disputed land but the deceased and his siblings confronted the chief.

He said Nana Idan, not satisfied with the behavour of the deceased, allegedly called some armed men from Kasoa to attack the deceased and his siblings.

The prosecution said the deceased and his siblings sensing danger fled the town.

Inspector Mensah said on 24th September, 2012, the deceased visited Dabanyin with his taxi cab number Gw-5889-12 and when Essuman saw him he came close to look at the taxi number.

He said Essuman made a call on his phone of which a witness in the case overheard him mentioning the number of the taxi car on his phone.

The prosecution said in a few minutes some men in a private car came and packed at Essuman’s house and when the deceased moved his car they followed him.

The Prosecution said some hours later, news broke out in the town that the deceased had been murdered.

According to the prosecution, policemen who went to the scene detected that the deceased legs, hands and mouth had been tied up with gunshot wounds on his chest.

Inspector Mensah said the body has since been deposited at the Agona Swedru government hospital mortuary for autopsy whiles investigations continues.