
Accused persons in GPHA Marketing Manager's murder discharged for lack of evidence
Mrs Josephine Tandoh Asante was the Marketing and Public Relations Manager of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) at the Tema Port, when she was stabbed to death at dawn at the age of 49, at her Emefs Estate home on the Accra-Akosombo highway at dawn on January 13, 2019.
She had returned from an end-of-year dinner organised by the GPHA at Community Six in Tema when she was attacked in her home and killed.
Some suspects were picked up and arraigned in court for murder, but after six years, the Attorney-General's Department has concluded the accused persons cannot be linked to the murder and has therefore directed that they should be discharged.
The A-G has discontinued the case, and this has displeased the family of the deceased, Graphic Online's Benjamin Xornam Glover reports from Tema.
The decision followed a review of the evidence and legal arguments, leading to the conclusion that there was no material evidence linking the accused persons to the crime.
The four accused persons, namely Richard Kwabena Kwakye, a.k.a. Kwabena Boateng, Dominic Owusu, Christian Adjei and Frederick Owusu Oppong, aka Kojo Owusu have subsequently been discharged by the District Magistrate Court in Tema presided over by Benedicta Antwi. They were discharged on Monday, July 21, 2025.
When the case was called on Monday [July 21, 2025], the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Hilda Sarkodie informed the court that the Attorney General's office, which had been studying the docket, had concluded that the accused persons should be discharged due to lack of material evidence linking them to the crime.
Reading out portions of the advice in open court, it said the AG office believed that mere suspicion was not enough to sustain a criminal charge, especially for a serious offense like murder.
"I am of the opinion that suspects have been rounded up based on suspicions and not material evidence, linking them to the offence. Charging them with the serious offence like murder based on suspicion alone is not appropriate since mere suspicion is not enough to sustain a criminal offence. Nobody actually witnessed the offence being committed. There are too many doubts regarding who actually murdered the deceased. Based on the insufficient evidence on the docket, the suspects cannot be charged with the offence. You are to discharge them," the advisory from the AG's office was signed by a Principal State Attorney, Joshua Sackey.
Based on this advice, the prosecution withdrew the charges against the suspects.
The court after hearing the prayer proceeded to discharge the suspects.
Reaction
Some family members of the deceased in an interview after the court sitting, expressed outrage and disappointment over the handling of the case.
The widower, Franklin Kwame Asante said despite a confession and video evidence, procured by the police, the AG's office claimed the evidence was insufficient and hence closing the case.
"The suspects were videotaped, they confessed to the killing and somebody at the AG's office, says that there is no evidence? How do you sum it up? So the confession that he gave details of the murder doesn't matter?
A brother of the deceased, Robert Asante said the family was determined to review the case and would seek legal advice.
"We, the family, will go back and review this, but as he said, if you say insufficient evidence and it's taking us five years for you to realize insufficient evidence, there is a question mark on everything about this murder," he said.
"We have requested for the court records and also the AG's advice. We will go back and see what options we have and then we will follow those options to its end." He added
"That is the only way now that is left to us. The AG did not advise that they continue with investigations, which means that they are going to close this file, chuck it in the bin, and that is 's the end of Josephine Asante Tandoh. We will not take that.'
Background
Mrs Asante Yandoh was found dead on January 13, 2019 at her residence at EMEFS Estates near Afienya in the Greater Accra Region.
She was said to have been attacked in her bedroom after returning from a staff party.
According to initial police report, she was locked inside her room after the alleged murder incident.
The body was discovered the following morning after occupants of the house found the keys to her bedroom on the compound.
The assailant(s) did not take anything away.
Writer's email Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh