Kasoa teenagers buried 11-year-old boy alive - Investigator tells court

The investigator in the case in which two teenagers are standing trial for allegedly murdering a 11-year-old boy for money ritual at Kasoa has told the court that the two accused persons buried Ishmael Abdallah while he was still breathing. 

Chief Inspector Isaac Asiedu Odei told the court in his testimony that one of the accused persons disclosed that to him during investigations.

He was being led in evidence by a Senior State Attorney, Nana Adoma Osei, before a seven-member jury at the court, presided over by Justice Lydia Osei-Marfo. 

Accused

The two teenagers – a 15-year-old juvenile and an 18-year-old young offender (both names withheld) are standing trial for the alleged murder of a 10-year-old, Ishmael Mensah Abdallah, on April 3, 2021, for ritual purposes, after they allegedly lured him into an uncompleted building and killed him with a club and cement block.

They have pleaded not guilty to the charge of conspiracy and murder.

Testimony

C/Insp. Odei further told the court that the 18-year-old accused willingly confessed using the wooden handle of a pickaxe to hit Abdalla’s head.

The investigator tendered the implement in evidence as part of his testimony.

He added that 15-year-old juvenile also confessed that they used both a shovel and spade to dig a grave to bury Abdallah.

C/Insp. Odei further tendered in pieces of blocks that were allegedly used to hit Abdallah’s head.

“My Lord 15-year-old juvenile disclosed that they buried the deceased while he was briefing,” C/Insp. Odei said. 

Prosecution’s facts

According to the prosecution, on March 29, 2021, the accused persons consulted a spiritualist for money rituals, locally known as "sakawa".

The said spiritualist, who claimed to be in the Volta Region, was said to have requested GH¢5,000 and a human being to perform the rituals.

On April 3, 2021, the accused persons, according to the prosecution, decided to use the deceased in furtherance of their sakawa mission.

At about 9 a.m. on the same day, the prosecutor said, the juvenile accused lured the deceased into an uncompleted building where the second accused had laid ambush with the club of a pickaxe.

 “As soon as the deceased arrived, they told him to remove a video game from a sack they had deposited in a corner of the room.

“When the deceased bent down in an attempt to remove the said video game from the sack, the second accused struck him at the back of his neck with the club, causing him to fall,” Nana Osei said.

The deceased, she said, turned to look at the juvenile accused and pleaded with him not to kill him but forgive him if he had offended him but his plea was ignored by the juvenile accused who struck the head of the deceased with a cement block which was in the building.

As a result, the deceased became unconscious but was still breathing. 

The accused persons, the prosecution said, further used a spade and a shovel to dig a shallow grave in the room and buried the deceased with the intention of conveying him to the spiritualist.

Writer’s mail: justice.agbenorsi@graphic.com.gh