Ashaley Botwe Murder: Court orders L100 student to report to CID Homicide Unit

The High Court in Accra presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh has ordered embattled first-year (Level 100) student of the University of Ghana to report to the Homicide Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) once every two weeks.

Safina Mohammed, who has been held for the murder of Frank Kofi Osei, a Ghanaian resident in Canada. She was earlier granted bail by the High Court in Tema and as part of her bail conditions, was to report to the Lakeside Police once every fortnight.

However, making her first appearance at the High Court in Accra via a virtual Court session after being granted bail, State Prosecutors led by Nana Ama Adinkra, a Senior State Attorney prayed for her bail conditions to be varied.

“The accused person was granted bail by the High court, Tema, and as part of her bail conditions, she was to report to the Lakeside Police Station, who had the conduct of her case,” the Senior State Attorney stated.

She added that, “the case had (since her bail) been transferred to the Homicide Division at the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) Headquarters and they are the ones (Homicide Unit) currently with the conduct of the case.”

“We humbly pray that the accused person as a result report to the Homicide Unit of the CID headquarters as part of her bail conditions,” Nana Ama Adinkra, the Senior State Attorney prayed.

Counsel for the accused, Samuel Alesu-Dordzi though did not opposed to the request, said his client after being granted bail has been complying with the terms of the bail.

He, however, requested for the court to adjust her reporting to the Homicide Unit of the CID Headquarters, rather, to once a month to lessen the financial burdens on her.

The Senior State Attorney in a direct response said the court should maintain the once every two weeks since the matter at hand is a murder case.

Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh, the vacation judge, said the bail is varied to the extend that the accused is rather to report to the Homicide unit of the CID headquarters once every forth night.

The Court has adjourned the case to October 13, 2023, for the accused to appear before the substantive judge for her plea to be taken on the charge.

I’m innocent

Safina Mohammed Adizatu who was earlier this month charged officially with murder, told the Adentan District Court she was not at the crime scene where her boyfriend was murdered.

Safina aka Safina Diamond, during the committal proceedings, told the court that, “I am innocent.”

She added, that, “at the time of the incident, I was not in the house, but near the area, making calls.”

Frank, (now deceased), was gruesomely murdered at Ashley Botwe School Junction in July 2022 when he visited Safina, his girlfriend.

State to parade 9 witnesses

State Prosecutors led by Nana Ama Adinkra, a Senior State Attorney, told the court that it would be calling nine witnesses in the trial.

The witnesses, the Prosecution, said will include Michael Fifi Ampofo Arku, earlier held as an accomplice, but was discharged upon advice of the Attorney General on the case docket.

The Senior State Attorney also indicated that, the prosecution will be tendering in some 31 exhibits.

The items to be tendered include autopsy report, five huge dog chains, cello tape, four padlocks with 10 keys, a cutter, a pair of gloves, three knives and accused person’s various investigation caution statements.

Arguments

Lawyers for Safina, had earlier, raised a preliminary objection against the prosecution’s inability to place all the exhibits at the Registry of the Court before tendering them.

But, the prosecution in response described Defence counsel’s assertion as “unwarranted” and “blown out of proportion.”

Background

It was the case of the prosecution that, on Sunday July 24, 2022, Osei, who was on vacation in Ghana, visited Safina, his finance, who lived at Ashaley Botwe School Junction and decided to pass the night with

her.

The prosecution indicated that in the night, Safina, Arku and other accomplices yet to be arrested, allegedly stabbed Osei with a knife and strangled him.

It said Osei’s blood was allegedly cleaned from the floor by Safina and her accomplices while the body was in the room for 24 hours.

The body of Osei, According to the Prosecution, was dragged from the first floor of the storey building through the stir case.

It said the body was dumped at the gate of the house, where the deceased had parked his Toyota Tundra.

Safina Diamond allegedly called the Police, claiming that her boyfriend, who visited her, had died in her room.

When the Police proceeded to the scene, they found the body of Osei lying at the gate of Safina’s house. Safina was consequently arrested for investigations.