Alleged murderer remanded

Sunyani, Nov. 13, GNA- A Magistrate court in Sunyani on Monday remanded into prison custody, a 34 year old farmer at Bechem in the Brong Ahafo region for allegedly severing the head of an eight year old. Kwame Amponsah the suspect is alleged to severed the head of the boy, a class two pupil for sale to a spiritualist at GH=A212,000. His plea was not taken and would assist the police in their investigations and was ordered to re-appear before the court on Nov 26, this year.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Emmanuel Adayugah, told the court presided by Mr. Albert Zoogah that the suspect, who formerly resided at Bechem left to Enchi in the Western region to farm but returned about three months ago after striking a deal with one Yaro, a spiritualist, to get him a human head for GH=A212,000. On November 4, this year, Amponsah, a neighbour to the boy's parents invited the deceased to accompany him to the bush for oranges. The prosecutor said the suspect on the way struck the boy's neck with a club, rendering him unconscious and then severed the head with a kitchen knife.

He then wrapped the head in a black polythene bag, hid it in a traveling bag and set off to Enchi. Chief inspector Adayuga said at Dadiesoaba, a village near Enchi, a witness in the case became suspicious when the suspect approached and asked him about Yaro.

The witness reported to the Dadiesoaba community police who arrested Amponsah and handed him over to the police at Tarkwa who during a search in the bag discovered the human head, he added. Upon interrogation the suspect initially claimed that he got the head from Dwenewoho, near Techiman, but following an appeal on radio by the police for identification of the head, the deceased's uncle, Pastor Stephen Anin travelled to Tarkwa and identified Amponsah. He said it was then that the suspect confessed that he got the head at Bechem and was that of Emmanuel Adjei, who had been reported missing. He said the police at Tarkwa then handed the suspect and the boy's head to their counterparts at Bechem to continue with investigations. The prosecutor said because of the tension at Bechem the police moved the suspect and the head to the regional police headquarters in Sunyani.