Two suspects in Atronie murder case granted bail

Sunyani, Dec. 10, GNA- A Magistrate court in Sunyani on Thursday granted a GH=A25,000 bail with three sureties to two more suspects in the Atronie murder case.

They are Emmanuel Kwabena Ampong, 55, a farmer and a husband of the queen mother of the town and Charles Kwaku Yeboah, 37, also a farmer. They are among 41 persons including the chief and the queen mother of the town arrested by the police following the mob killing of Mr Anthony Yeboah-Boateng, Administrator of the Goaso government hospital on Easter Sunday this year at Atronie, near Sunyani.

Twenty-seven of the suspects have already been granted bail. Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Martin Dafeamekpor, the prosecutor, explained to the court presided over by Mr Albert Zoogah that the charge of murder against the two had been dropped and replaced with a "holding charge of abetment of crime". The remaining 11 suspects in custody were once again remanded by the court and ordered to reappear in January next year. ASP Depheamaphor said documentation on the remaining 11 suspects was in progress to commit them to stand trial at the Sunyani high court.

Some unidentified youth of Atronie allegedly pounced on the deceased at about 2130 hours on Easter Sunday as he, his wife and a Roman Catholic Sister conveyed the dead body of his aunt in his private car from Sunyani to Goaso government hospital.

The youth, who had barricaded the road for a street jam to celebrate the Easter festivities, mistook Mr. Boateng to be a ritual murderer and assaulted him to death.

A policeman who saved the two women by whisking them to the police station was also assaulted. 10 Dec 07