Victor Nana Kankam (left) and Stephen Okyere
The Abeka Magistrate Court in Accra yesterday committed Victor Nana Kankam, a landlord who allegedly shot and killed his tenant, Stephen Okyere, at Ofankor, Accra in May 2020.
This was after the court examined the case of the prosecution and held that there was enough evidence for the accused to stand trial and answer to the charge of murder levelled against him.
An autopsy report presented to the court showed there were several gunshot wounds on the budding musician, a situation the prosecution said was an indication that the landlord intentionally fired at the victim, now deceased.
The prosecution during the committal proceeding also presented the court with exhibits gathered during investigations, which they intend to use in proving their case.
The items include two pump action guns, one of which is registered in the accused person’s name and the other registered in his mother’s name.
Others include four (4) AAA empty shells, four (4) pellets received from the body of the deceased, 47 live AAA cartridges, pepper spray, bullet proof vest which they suspect the accused wore when he went to the victim’s house where he shot him.
There were also photographs of the deceased, the accused, as well as photographs from the crime scene.
The prosecution indicated they will be calling nine witnesses.
When asked by the court whether he had anything to say, Stephen Kankam claimed he acted in self defence, and indicated that he will not say anything further until he has had conference with his counsel.
The court, presided over by Her Worship Achamaa Ofosu, after considering the evidence committed the accused to stand trial at the High Court on April 4, 2022.
Stephen Okyere, a budding musician, was shot four times, once in the rib, chest, shoulder and the thigh by Kankam in May 2020, according to the prosecution.
According to reports, Kankam is said to have expressed interest in a lady who was close to the victim and asked him (deceased tenant) for help to win the lady’s affection, and succeeded in ‘helping’ the landlord start a romantic affair with the said lady.
However, the tenant (deceased) allegedly teamed up with the said lady to ‘milk’ the landlord dry; always requesting for cash and gifts from the landlord.
Sensing he had been ‘deceived,’ the landlord ‘devised’ a scheme to take his ‘revenge’ by ensuring that the tenant moved out when his rent was due.
The tenant during an argument with the accused had asked for more time to pack out of the room, but in the heat of the argument, Kankam allegedly shot him four times; targeting his penis, stomach and chest areas.
The accused later claimed to the police that he acted in self-defence.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak