Kasoa ritual murder: Court transfers 18-year-old accused to prison custody after misconduct in police cells 

One of the two teenagers accused of the murder of an 11-year-old boy in Kasoa for money ritual has been accused of misconduct in police cells and has therefore been transferred from police custody to prison custody. 

This follows a complaint made by officers of the Osu Police Station to state prosecutors that the 18-year-old accused should not be brought back to their custody after proceedings on Monday. 

The 18-year-old accused is standing trial with a juvenile over the death of the 11-year-old and have been charged with conspiracy and murder, awaiting their fate from a seven-member jury who have since May 16, 2024 been on strike over unpaid allowance. 

When the case was called Monday (June 24), the prosecution led by a senior state attorney, Nana Adoma Osei, informed the court presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo of the development without stating exactly what the accused had done. 

"The Osu Police Station made a request that he should not be brought back from the court today."

“Our prayer this morning is that he should be remanded into prison custody, and a trial warrant issued so that the prison officers would be responsible for bringing him to court as needed," the State Attorney said. 

The case investigator also told the court that the 18-year-old has been rotated among various police stations, including Ministry, Nima, Cantonment, and currently Osu Police Station. 

The officer noted that the second accused has been involved in fights with inmates at both Osu and Cantonment stations.

Denial 

Meanwhile the second accused denied these allegations when asked by the presiding judge.

He added that at the Nima Police Station the officers accused some inmates of planning to escape from police custody. 

Following that allegation, he said about 10 inmates including him, were transferred 

Counsel for the second accused, Lawrence Boampong Wireko, stated that he was not aware of such information and requested that the second accused remain in police cells since the trial was nearing completion. 

He also asked the court to caution the accused. 

Warrant 

After listening to both sides, Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, issued a trial warrant for the second accused.

“In view of the intimation from counsel for the Republic, an order is hereby made for a trial warrant to be issued against the second accused person to be kept at the Nsawam Prison and brought to court as needed,” the court directed.

Jury absent 

Meanwhile the business of the day which comprised final addresses, summing up and return of verdict, did not come off as planned due to the absence of the jurors. 

The presiding judge expressed worry of the strike which commenced last month. 

The case has been adjourned to July 8, 2024. 

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 intending to convey him to the spiritualist.

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