Ivorian farm labourer on remand for attempted ritual murder

Tarkwa, Sept. 10, GNA - An Ivorian farm laborer, Abeiku Jatuwari, 36, has been remanded in to prison custody by the Tarkwa Circuit Court for planning to kill his 24 year-old compatriot to sell his head for GHC4,000.

He pleaded not guilty and would reappear before the court on September 21.

Police Prosecutor Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah, told the court, presided over by Mr. Samuel Obeng Diawuo, that Jatuwari contracted the complainant, Mr Emmanuel Adu Essoah, to look for a ritualist who needed human parts because he wanted to kill Mr Issaka Duori, a fellow Ivorian farm labourer, and sell his head for GHC4000.

However, the prosecutor said Mr Essoah on July 12, reported the plan of the accused, who migrated with his intended victim from the La Cote d' Ivoire to New Yakasi, during the last Ivorian Political Crisis, to the Police.

The prosecutor said the accused and the complainant were both patrons of the Corner Bar,' which belonged to one Fato Kwao and when they met there one day, Mr Kwaw's wife quarreled with the complainant and accused him of being a 91ritualist.'

The Prosecutor said Jatuwari, on hearing the accusation, contacted the complainant to introduce him to a fellow ritualist who needed human parts to buy because he intended to kill Duori to sell his body parts.

Detective Amponsah said the accused persistently mounted pressure on the complainant who could not stand it anymore so informed Mr Kwao and others, who advised him to alert the Police.

According to the Prosecutor, the Police, subsequently, contacted one George Ackah, a business man, to feign interest in buying human parts and the complainant introduced him to Jatuwari in his room where the Police had hid a video camera to record the conversation.

He said the assured Mr Ackah that on the farm the following day, he would hit the back of Duori's head with an object and decapitate him after he had fallen.

The Prosecutor said the accused then charged GHC4000 and demanded GHC500 as part payment to purchase a mobile phone for communicating with Mr Ackah.

He asked Mr Ackah to meet him at Old Yakasi with the rest of the money and receive the head, following which he would immediately return to La Cote d'Ivoire.

Detective Amponsah said the accused person alleged in the conversation that he was an expert in that type of business in his country and that his next killing would be his seventh.

He said after the negotiation had been recorded, the accused person was arrested and the Police took custody of the part payment of GHC500.

The Prosecutor said after investigations the accused person was charged with the offence.