Prosecution to call first witness in Abesim murder trial

The state will call its first witness on March 14, in the case in which Richard Appiah, a draughtman, is accused of killing two minors at Abesim, near Sunyani, Bono Region.

At today’s hearing, the court concluded with the Case Management Conference (CMC)This .

The prosecution led by Nana Ama Adinkra informed the court that it would be relying on the document filed and listed in the Summary of evidence and bill of indictment attached.

The prosecution listed the items to be tendered during the trial as pictures, burnt clothes of the deceased, various statements of witnesses, further investigation caution statements, and various autopsy reports.

“Most of our witnesses reside in the Bono Region so we need some time to make them available,” the prosecution added.

According to the prosecution, it would seek leave of the court to file a witness statement of one Thomas Agyei, father of Loius Agyemang (one of the minors).

Meanwhile, the accused, Richard Appiah has been charged with two counts of murder. He has pleaded not guilty before a seven-member jury.

The case of the prosecution is that Richard Appiah resides in his father’s house at Abesim in the Bono Region.

Master Loius Agyemang aged 12 years, is the half-brother of the accused, while Stephen Sarpong is a neighbour of Appiah.

In 2021, the prosecution said Louis Agyemang’s father reported to the Police about his missing son.

Agyei told the police that his son was last seen in the company of the accused.

Later, the prosecution said Agyei later returned with some members of the community saying Richard Appiah knew the whereabouts of Agyeman.

The police went to the house of Appiah and found some laptops and other items.

According to the prosecution, the Police initially did not find anything incriminatory.

However, the prosecution said there was a room that was locked, and the police insisted on opening it. When the room was opened, the body of Loius Agyeman was found lying in a supine position on the floor.

Again, the police found a refrigerator and when it was opened, the police found the mutilated head of a young boy identified as Stephen Sarpong.

Also, the police found some money and a Techno mobile phone in the room.

The police retrieved the pair of sandals of the victim and partially burnt clothes of the victim.

The police retrieved the body parts of the victims and together with the accused, they were escorted to Accra and the bodies were sent to the Police Hospital morgue for autopsy, according to prosecutors.