Mankessim Murder: Suspects look too good in police custody - Family of deceased fumes

Correspondence from Central Region

The family of Georgina Asor Botchwey, who was gruesomely murdered for money rituals on September 9, 2022, at Mankessim in the Mfantseman Municipality in the Central Region, has raised concerns over how good the deceased's accused killers look after a year in police custody.

Christopher Ekow Quansah Clark (the first accused), popularly known to be 'Nana Clark' and his accomplice, Pastor Michael Darko, have since Monday, September 19, 2022, been in police grip after a thoroughly conducted investigation which later revealed Jonathan Obeng (the third accused) had dug the pit the deceased was buried in.

This agitation from the family emanated after the accused killers appeared before the Cape Coast District Court 1 on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, presided over by Her Worship Anita Sheila Serwah Crabbe.

The early stage of the case saw Her Worship Bernice Mensima Ackon of the Cape Coast District Court 2 preside over it, later replaced by His Worship Eric Oheneba Boasiako after her transfer a few months on.

Speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb after the court proceedings, an uncle to the deceased, Papa Annan Swanzy, expressed amazement over how the accused killers of his niece appeared to be glowing amid tension surrounding their actions.

The deceased's uncle further quizzed to find out if indeed the accused persons were in police custody, over the fact that the bereaved family has yet to know the exact cells housing the accused killers.

Papa Swanzy, however, assured the general public of the family's unflinching pursuit of the case; hence, there was no need for anyone to get troubled over an unfair hearing.

The case has further been adjourned to Tuesday, October 24, 2023, as proceedings in court revealed the trial has reached its committal stage and there are preparations to have it entrusted to the High Court after obtaining the Attorney General's advice on the case to have Jonathan Obeng (the third accused) freed after findings proved him to have nothing to do with Asor Botchwey's murder.



Background

The deceased, Georgina Asor Botchwey, lived at Yeji in the Bono East Region. She was an applicant seeking admission to the Ankaful Psychiatric Nursing School in the Central Region.

She arrived in Cape Coast on the 8th of September, 2022.

Upon arrival, she called Pastor Michael Darko and informed him about her presence in the region and what she was coming to do.

Michael Darko, a self-styled pastor and boyfriend to the senior sister of the deceased, informed her he would pick her up after her interview with the Nursing School.

They met at the Ankaful Psychiatric Nursing School and picked the deceased up in a taxi to Pedu junction in Cape Coast where Christopher Ekow Clark Quansah (Nana Clark), the Tufuhene of Ekumfi Akwaakrom and a Trader had parked his Benz Car with registration number GT 8686-C.

The chief drove to Akwaakrom, took the deceased’s iPhone and locked her in a room.

The accused person went to Asikafo Ambantem, a suburb of Mankessim where they had dug a hole in an uncompleted storey building belonging to the chief.

They went back for the deceased and sent her to Asikafo Ambantem.

On September 9, 2022, around midday, the chief and the pastor killed the deceased for money rituals.

The chief allegedly hit the deceased with a club whereupon the deceased fell down.

The pastor allegedly held the neck of the deceased till she died.

They took the hair of the deceased after killing her and left the uncompleted-storey building around 2 am.

A complaint was lodged to the police by the brother of the deceased, Alfred Duodu.

The police picked intelligence and started looking for the accused persons and on September 19, the pastor got arrested at Anomabo where he admitted to the crime.

He subsequently led the police to where the deceased had been buried leading to the exhumation of the body of the deceased.

The police further picked intelligence which led to the arrest of the Tufuhene at his hideout in Ekumfi Akwaakrom.

He also admitted to the crime and stated that they did that for money rituals.

The accused were put before the Cape Coast District Court 2 presided over by Her Wordship Bernice Mensima Ackon.

They were charged with the conspiracy to commit a crime to wit murder; and murder contrary to section 46 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1980, Act 29.

The plea of the accused was not taken. The facts and the charges were read to them in Fante and in Twi.

The prosecutor, DSP Daniel Gadzo, pleaded with the court to allow them some time to conclude their investigations.