Teacher and six others face murder charge

Juliana Mansah, a 21-year-old teacher, was on Monday remanded in prison custody by the Kade community tribunal over the murder of her boyfriend, Kwadwo Bassaw-Esuon, 28, at Boadua, near Akwatia in the Eastern Region.

Kwadwo's body was found with multiple wounds lying by the roadside in the early hours of October 2. Also charged with Juliana are her 50-year-old mother, Adwoa Dina, and five men. They are Kwame Ansong, 24; Samuel Oware, 28; Joseph Osawaru, 28, all labourers, and Wisdom Afari, clerk, and Henry Norgah, 30, teacher, All the six persons are also in custody.

The seven, whose plea were not taken when they appeared before the tribunal, chaired by Mr Oppong Kwae, will re-appear on October 18. Chief Inspector E. K. Kwashie told the tribunal that all the accused persons, with the exception of Norgah, live in the same house at Boadua.

He said there had been frequent quarrels between Kwadwo and Juliana, who shared the same room, resulting in Juliana's mother threatening to eject deceased from the house. She however changed her mind and gave the deceased a separate room in the house.

The prosecution said at about 12.30 a.m. on October 2, Juliana alleged that she was asleep when Kwadwo entered her room through the window, poured petrol on both of them and attempted to set them ablaze. Juliana said she raised the alarm and the other accused persons came to the scene but Kwadwo ran away only to return later with a stick with which he attacked her mother.

Chief Inspector Kwashie said Ansong alleged that he went to intervene but Kwadwo hit him also with the stick and then escaped. At about 1.45 a.m., Juliana went to the Akwatia Police Station to lodge a complaint of assault and threatening against Kwadwo.

The prosecutor told the tribunal that at about 1.30 a.m. the same day, Kwadwo was found dead about 400 metres from the main gate of the Ghana Consolidated Diamonds on the Boadua-Asamankese road with deep cuts on the forehead and back of the head. He also had abrasions all over his body. Chief Inspector Kwashie said after careful investigations, it appeared the deceased was murdered somewhere and dumped by the roadside.

An autopsy on Kwadwo's body is expected to be conducted on Monday at the Asamankese Government Hospital.