Trial of security operative’s murder suspects continues today
The Accra High Court has begun the trial of two men alleged to have murdered a national security operative on his farm at Agona Amanfrom in the Central Region.
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One of the accused, Ebenezer Benyin, has been charged with the murder of Philip Kwame Oduro Acquaye, the national security operative.
The other accused person, Kojo Nyarko, has been charged with abetment of murder.
Both men are on bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 each, with two sureties each, one of which should be a public servant earning not less than GH¢5,000 a month.
Accused absent
At yesterday’s sitting, Nyarko failed to show up in the courtroom, a situation that did not go down well with the presiding judge, Mrs Justice Merley Afua Wood.
All was set for the trial, with the jury, the prosecution team, defence counsel for the two accused persons and Benyin present, but Nyarko was nowhere to be found when the case was called.
His lawyer, Mr George Asamaney, expressed surprise at the absence of his client and could not offer any reason for it.
“I am confused about the absence of my client because he always appears before this court. I believe that something must have gone wrong. I, therefore, apologise on his behalf,’’ he said.
Counsel appealed to the court to adjourn the case to today to enable him to contact his client.
The appeal was not opposed by the prosecutor, State Attorney, Mrs Rebecca Ayittey Smith, but she urged the court to rescind Nyarko’s bail if he failed to show up in court again.
Mrs Justice Wood adjourned the case to today, with a stern warning to Mr Asamaney to inform his client to appear before the court or risk his bail being rescinded.
Seeking for help
According to the prosecution, the alleged murder happened at Agona Amanfrom in the Agona East District in the Central Region on June 22, 2014.
Acquaye worked at the Tema Port, while Nyarko is unemployed and cousin of Acquaye, who resided at Mankessim in the Central Region.
In March 2014, Nyarko and Benyin, a student and friend who resided at Mankessim, visited Acquaye at his workplace in Tema and appealed to him to find a job for them, the prosecution claimed.
Acquaye could not help them because of their poor educational background, but suggested to Nyarko to go and work on his (Acquaye’s) farm, located at Agona Amanfrom.
Nyarko, the prosecution said, accepted the offer and moved to the farm with his wife and Benyin.
The prosecution further claimed that Acquaye was not aware that Nyarko had moved to the farm with Benyin and that when he learnt of it he became angry.
“He told Nyarko that he did not employ Benyin and, therefore, both of them should pack and leave the farm,’’ it said.
Alleged incident
On June 21, 2014, the prosecution said, Acquaye visited Agona Amanfrom and went to his farm.
On arrival, he demanded again that Nyarko and Benyin pack out of the farm.
“Nyarko then demanded for three months’ salary arrears of GH¢450 each month before they would leave, but Acquaye was not ready to meet that condition,’’ it added.
As a result, a misunderstanding ensued, which later resulted in a fight between Acquaye, on the one side, and Nyarko and Benyin, on the other.
“During the fight, Benyin suddenly used a pistol he was holding to hit Acquaye from behind and he fell on the ground unconscious,’’ the prosecution said.
After the incident, Nyarko and Benyin, it claimed, fled the scene and later went back when Acquaye had died, wrapped his body in a piece of cloth and buried him on the farm.
Run away
According to the prosecution, after burying the National Security operative, Nyarko intentionally went to ask of his whereabouts from his (Acquaye’s) landlady.
Afterwards, a search party, which included Nyarko, was formed to search for Acquaye but he was not found.
The next day, Nyarko, together with his wife and Benyin, fled to Bokazo, near Nkroful in the Western Region, where they were arrested upon a tip-off.