Court remands man in prison custody for jumping bail

A 38-year-old man who is standing trial in connection with the alleged murder of a National Security operative was last Tuesday remanded into prison custody by the Accra High Court for jumping bail.

Kojo Nyarko has been charged with abetting one Ebenezer Benyin to murder Philip Kwame Oduro Acquaye, a National Security operative, and was on bail in the sum of GH¢10,000, with two sureties.

 Since May 2017, he had failed to show up for the trial, for which reason the court issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

Luck eluded Nyarko last Saturday when he was arrested at his hideout at Mankessim.

He was subsequently dragged to the court last Monday to answer for his alleged crime.

Bail rescinded

At the hearing, the presiding judge, Mrs Justice Afua Merley Wood, took strong exception to Nyarko jumping bail and rescinded the bail.

She then remanded the accused into prison custody.

Hearing continues on November 6, 2018.

Alleged incident

The alleged murder, according to the prosecution, took place on Acquaye’s farm located at Agona Amanfrom in the Agona East District in the Central Region on June 24, 2014.

Nyarko, a cousin of Acquaye’s, was offered a job on the farm by his cousin, but Nyarko decided to allow Benyin, who is his friend, to also work on the farm.

That, the prosecution said, angered Acquaye because he was not informed about the development.

He, therefore, ordered his cousin and Benyin to pack and leave the farm.

When Acquaye, who was resident in Accra, visited his farm at Agona Amanfrom, he once again asked Nyarko and Benyin to leave the farm, but the two demanded salaries before they would leave.

Acquaye refused to oblige to their demand, a situation which resulted in a fight.

During the fight, the prosecution said, Benyin “suddenly used a pestle he was holding to hit Acquaye from behind and he fell on the ground, unconscious”.

After the incident, Nyarko and Benyin, it said, 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 Acquaye’s 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.

writer’s email  emma.hawkson@graphic.com.gh