The Fast Track Division of the Accra High Court has sentenced a 41-year-old man to death by hanging.
The convict, Felix Okine Aryeetey, alias Adjetey, was found guilty by the court, presided over by Mr Justice H. S. Logoh, for the intentional murder of Samuel Atta Bosomtwe at Berekuso in the Eastern Region.
Also convicted in the trial, which began on July 2, 2013, were three persons who were sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment each for conspiracy to commit murder.
They are Daniel Nana Affum, alias K. K.; Nicholas Tawia Asante and Joseph Kwadwo Fianko.
The four were indicted for their involvement in the murder of two young people at Berekuso in the course of communal violence in 2003.
The violence had emanated from a quarrel between two women, Juliana Akuffo and Faustina Asantewaa, leading to the death of James Amaning, a son of the chief of Berekuso.
The four, who were part of a group of seven, attacked Bosomtwe and his twin brother after they (convicts) had heard that a relative of the twins had murdered Amaning.
Aryeetey used a dagger to stab Bosomtwe on the left part of his chest.
Although Bosomtwe managed to run home, he reportedly died shortly on arrival.
The other victim, Akosua Eku, was attacked in her house and shot in the lower abdomen.
She sustained severe wounds and died some months after undergoing medical treatment.
Background The facts of the case were that at about 6:30 p.m. on August 7, 2003, a quarrel ensued between Juliana and Asantewaa and, in the course of the exchanges, Asantewaa allegedly insulted Juliana as a fool who had sold her husband, Kwaku Abdulai Amuzu, to the chief of Berekuso, Nana Oteng Korankye and Nana Acquah, to be killed at Wassa and used for rituals.
Juliana, out of anger, reported the matter to the chief, who asked her to inform Nana Acquah for the matter to be handled.
However, Juliana failed to report the matter and rather went to Asantewaa’s house the next day and engaged the latter’s sister in a fight.
When Amaning heard the issue concerning his father, he allegedly mobilised some youth who stormed Asantewaa’s house and met Kwesi Tetteh, who warned them to leave.
In the ensuing commotion, Tetteh entered his room, returned with a machete and slashed Amaning on the neck and the head, killing him instantly.
When Affum heard that Amaning had been killed, he organised some men, including the other accused persons, to attack Tetteh, but when they got there, Tetteh had fled the house.
When the group met Bosomtwe and his twin brother, the group vented its spleen on the twins and subsequently killed Bosomtwe.
They further attacked Tetteh’s relatives, including Eku and her secretary, Richard Kwame Boateng.
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