3 traditional priests remanded over murder of 64-year-old biochemist

Three traditional priests who allegedly caused the death of Edward Quartey Papafio, a 64-year-old bio-chemist at Adeiso in the Eastern Region, have appeared before the Kaneshie District Court.

Christian Awoe Gamelie aka Power-One, 40, Famous Adukonu aka Scorpion, 37, and Yaw Azamate, 27, are being held on the charges of conspiracy to commit crime to wit murder.

The three accused have had their pleas preserved when they appeared before the court presided over by Ms Rosemond Dodua Agyiri.

When the case was called, prosecution led by Detective Inspector Lawrence Anani, said for convenience sake, the Police would prefer that the accused were remanded into Prison custody.

The court obliged prosecution’s prayer and remanded them into prison custody to reappear on August 24.

Meanwhile, a bench warrant issued for the arrest of Michael Ahiavinye and one Buzanga who are at large is still in force.

The case of the prosecution was that the complainant is the Reverend Mrs Comfort Ruth Quartey Papafio, who resides at Takoradi in the Western Region.

Gamelie, Adukonu and Azamete operate their business at Adu-Kojo and Kwasi-Nyarko, all suburbs of Mame Dede in the Eastern Region.

He said on January 17, this year, the complainant reported of her missing husband, Mr Quartey Papafio, from his residence at Kasoa on January 15, this year at about 0733 hours.

Prosecution said on receipt of the complainant, the Police gathered intelligence that the deceased was last spotted at Gameli’s shrine located at the outskirts of Adu Kojo, which led to the arrest of Gameli and Adukonu on April 21, this year.

According to prosecution, a search conducted at Gameli’s shrine revealed two pump action guns, one single barrel gun, eleven packets of cartridges and seven other pieces of the cartridges from his room and two shovels were found hidden at the back of his house.

The Prosecution said during interrogation, Gameli and Adukonu admitted shooting the deceased with the pump-action gun on January 15, this year and buried the corpse at the Shrine.

He said on April 29, the two led the Police to Power-One herbal/ Spiritual Centre where the Police identified the deceased’s grave in a make-shift cemetery behind Gameli’s house, adding that the scene was secured and an exhumation order was obtained from the court for that purpose.

The prosecution said on April 30, this year, a Pathologist in the company of Senior Officers from the CID Headquarters, Personnel from the Crime Scene Management Team, Forensic Science Laboratory, Drone Operation and CID/ Headquarters Operational Team together with the two accused to exhume the deceased body.

He said when the grave was dug, the decomposed body of Mr Quartey Papafio was removed and it was discovered that his grave was among other graves in the accused’s cemetery, which was well fenced.

The prosecution said investigations disclosed that on December 29, Gameli, Adukonu and Azamete conspired to kill Mr Papafio, hence lured him with the assistance of one Buzanga, also a traditional priest at Kasoa, currently at Large.

The prosecution said before the murder of the deceased, the accused intentionally, made false statement to the deceased and succeeded in collecting GH¢10,650 from him through mobile money under the pretext of conjuring GH¢400,000.00 for him to establish his company.

He said Papafio was invited to the shrine on January 15, this year for purification and in the process, Adukonu shot him with Gameli’s gun.

The Prosecution said the accused then drained quantity of Mr Papafio’s blood into a plastic gallon and hide same at the shrine while Gameli took possession of the deceased mobile phones and later buried the deceased with the assistance of Azamate and Michael who is also on the run.

The Prosecution said Gameli and Adukonu allegedly confessed to the Police that the blood in the gallon was a mixture of Papafio and another victim who was also buried among other bodies at the cemetery.

He said the gallon of blood and the body were deposited at the Police morgue for examination.

Mr Anani said the complainant later identified the two mobile phones of the deceased.

The prosecution said the Pathologist gave the cause of death of Mr Papafio as hemorrhagic shock, traumatic amputation and unnatural severe chest pain.