Couple before court, for alleged murder

Cape Coast, Sept. 16, GNA - Nana Adua Asempa, a 55-year-old farmer and his 40-year-old wife, Nana Adjoa Sam, a trader, who allegedly raised the alarm, resulting in the beating and subsequent death of a suspected thief, was on Tuesday arraigned before a circuit court in Cape Coast on a provisional charge of murder. The presiding judge, Mr Richard Asiedu-Badu, however directed the prosecution to send the case to the district court, where the couple, whose plea was not taken, would be committed to stand trial at the high court. Chief Inspector Hope Azasoo had earlier told the court that last Saturday, Asempa, and the wife returned home to meet the deceased, one Mohammed, affectionately called 'brother' in their room at Kwaman near Ayeldu in the Abura-Asebu -Kwamankese district. He alleged that on seeing the couple, Mohammed managed to run out of the room, but the couple caught him and the wife held him by the jacket he was wearing.

Chief Inspector Azasoo also alleged that while she held him, Mohammed started stabbing both husband and wife with a screw driver, and this resulted in a scuffle between them. He said the couple started shouting for help, which attracted people to the scene and they subjected Mohammed to severe beatings after which he was taken to the police station at Ayeldu. Chief Inspector Azasoo said the three, were subsequently given police medical forms to attend the hospital and were later discharged that night.

He said Mohammed who was remanded in police custody pending investigations, later died. The couple was arrested when it was suspected that Mohammed died as a result of the injuries he sustained through the beatings he received