Murder Suspect jailed
Two out of five people accused of killing a 45-year-old man, Yaw Ohemeng, at Besease in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality of the Ashanti Region, have been remanded in prison custody by the Asokwa District Magistrate Court in Kumasi.
Kwaku Asamoah, Gyaasehene of Besease and Owusu Amoah, chairman of the community’s Unit Committee, were denied bail by the presiding magistrate, Owusu Achiaw Korkor, when they appeared before the court. They are expected back on January 12, 2017.
The two men were arrested on Monday, December 26, 2016, alongside the chief of Ejisu-Besease, Nana Akwasi Acheampong II, and two others for allegedly beating the victim – a royal of the Besease stool – to death.
Nana Akwasi Acheampong and the other two suspects were later released from detention at the Ejisu police station, leaving behind the Gyaasehene and the unit committee chairman.
Commotion ensued outside the court as family members of Yaw Ohemeng cried foul and protested against the exclusion of the Besease chief from prosecution. There was no explanation regarding his exclusion, according to the protesters.
Yaw Ohemeng, a block maker in the farming community, was allegedly hit with a club by Kwaku Asamoah at the chief’s palace on Christmas day and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Ejisu Government Hospital.
Police prosecutor, ACP Okyere Darko, informed the court that on December 25, 2016 at about 8 am, the chief of Besease instructed Kwaku Asamoah and Owusu Amoah to accompany Ohemeng to the town’s public cemetery to verify a tree that had been felled for lumber by the victim.
According to the prosecutor, while they were at the cemetery, a scuffle ensued between Ohemeng and the two men, during which the victim allegedly bit Asamoah on the chest.
He narrated that the two accused persons returned to the chief’s palace and reported the incident to Nana Acheampong II, and whilst they were there, the victim emerged at the place with a cutlass and chased Asamoah (the Gyaasehene) around.
ACP Okyere Darko continued that the victim threatened to kill Asamoah as he raced after him with the cutlass he was brandishing.
The prosecutor stated that Asamoah, in defending himself against the possible attack, picked up a stick and fatally hit Yaw Ohemeng, with intent to disarm him.
He added that the victim, who got hurt, was taken to the Ejisu Government Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi