Driver charged with murdering girlfriend’s daughter for smashing his phone

Franklin Mensah, 29, a driver, has been arraigned before the Ashaiman District Court for allegedly murdering the three-and-a-half-year-old daughter of his girlfriend.

The plea of Mensah, who was charged with murder, was not taken.

He was remanded by the court presided over by His Worship Derrick Parden Eshun to reappear in two weeks.

Chief Inspector Afi Blihia, prosecuting, told the court that the complainant, Ms. Joy James, a waitress, resides with the accused person, who is her boyfriend, in Switzerland, a suburb of Ashaiman.

The prosecutor said on May 3, 2024, at about 1630 hours, the complainant went to work, leaving her daughter with the accused at home.

The facts indicated that at about 2300 hours, the complainant had a call from her neighbour reporting to her that, after she left the house, the daughter was crying and the accused gave his phone to her to play with in a bid to console her, but the girl threw the phone on the ground and it got scattered.

It was noted that Mensah, seeing the state of his phone, became angry and hit the three-and-a-half-year-old girl with his hand on the ground, and she became unconscious in the process.

Chief Inspector Blihia said the victim was rushed to the Tema General Hospital to be resuscitated but was clinically pronounced dead on arrival.

She said Mensah was therefore arrested and put before the court.

She, however, added that the case was still under investigation.