Ghanaian charged with murder of fellow Countryman

The Ghanaian Community in Columbus-Ohio woke up January 5, to shocking news of what is on record as the year’s first homicide in the area.

Dennis Oteng(left in picture), 25, from Northeast Side has been arrested and charged with one count of murder in the shooting death of Kingsley Owusu, 20.


On the said date, Columbus police responded to a call at 1:57 a.m to Filipinas Centre at 3439 Westerville Rd. on the Northeast Side. Police said upon arrival, Owusu was found in the parking lot wounded and struggling for his life. He had been shot once in the upper body but died 45 minutes later at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center.


Homicide detectives said Oteng was identified by eye-witnesses as the shooter and has subsequently apprehended.

Kingsley Owusu and Dennis Oteng are said to have known each other but clashed at the New Year party at the center which had been posted and advertised on a Facebook page for Africans in Columbus.


A source close to the family said the deceased came to the USA about 4 years ago. As a good and responsible young man, he even worshipped with the local Assemblies of God Church in the area until he fell into the hands of wrong company and soon acquired the street name; Lil’ Kingsley.


The motive for the murder still remains a mystery but there are speculations that women and struggle for control and supremacy may be the motivation for such heinous crime.