Man feigns madness in court

Tamale, June 30, GNA - Drama unfolded at a Tamale District Court when Nadoh Konkomba, a 36-year-old man standing trial for the murder of two persons, stunned the court by stripping himself naked, feigning madness. The suspect, who was remanded until July 4, had been charged on two counts of murdering two Nawuris, James Kofi Anebo and Akitanyi Ankumbamu on their farm on May 23.

In a bizarre act, which embarrassed the court, the suspect covered himself with a black polythene bag, scratched himself thoroughly and appeared not to understand any language spoken to him. Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Redeemer Kumah told the court presided over by Madam Angelina Mensah-Homia that the victims died on their respective farms during a heavy rain accompanied by lightning and thunder at Kpandai in the East Gonja District.

The prosecution said the families of the deceased, thinking that their kinsmen had been struck by the lightning, buried them. Three days later one Alhaji Tahiru Jawula and Mabunwura Yakubu both sub chiefs at Kpembe, handed over the suspect to the Salaga Police for confessing that he had shot and killed two persons on their farms, the prosecution told the court.

The prosecutor said the suspect, in his caution statement, stated that it was Alhaji Jawula who gave him a shotgun with a packet of cartridges and promised him 25 million cedis and a house to kill any Nawuri he met at Kpandai. He submitted that the reason as given by the suspect was to bring conflict between the Nawuris and the Konkombas so that if the Nawuris were defeated, Alhaji Jawula would be made chief of Kpandai. The prosecution said the suspect was arrested and handed over to the police when he went to Alhaji Jawula to demand his money after killing the two men on their farms.

Chief Inspector Kumah said on June 2 the suspect led the police to Kpandai and showed them the spots where he allegedly killed the victims. Alhaji Tahiru Jawula has denied the allegation levelled against him by the suspect. Madam Mensah-Homia said pretending to be insane would not prevent the court from carrying out its duties and warned the suspect to desist from such indecent act.