Benjamin Tetteh
Benjamin Tetteh, a 70-year-old retired civil servant, whose locally manufactured gun was used by his six-year-old grandson to kill his four-year-old brother, has been remanded into prison custody by the Somanya Magistrate court in the Eastern Region.
The pensioner was arraigned before the court yesterday on the charge of illegally possessing firearms, explosives, ammunition and negligence.
The old man, who looked very worried about the incident, pleaded guilty to the charges at the Odumase Circuit Court where the matter was referred to by the magistrate court due to the lack of jurisdiction.
The circuit court has, however, deferred sentencing to allow for investigations to be concluded.
Mr Tetteh is expected to reappear before the court on May 8.
The incident happened at Sinah, a suburb of Somanya in the Yilo Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region on Thursday when the kids were playing in their grandfather’s room in the absence of their parents – Isaac Tetteh Kwablah and Rebecca.
The Eastern Regional Police PRO, DSP Ebenezer Tetteh, said six-year-old, Jerry Amanor, who was traumatised by the shooting incident, has since been taken to a psychologist for counselling.
According to DSP Ebenezer Tetteh, the police had information that there was a gunshot at a place called YITI-SRA.
He said when they got to the scene they gathered that the two boys – Alex Ologo, 4 (now deceased) and Jerry Amanor were playing with a single barrel gun belonging to their grandfather, Benjamin Tetteh.
DSP Tetteh added that in the process Jerry Amanor’s finger pressed the trigger, killing his younger brother.
The police said the deceased, whose body has been deposited at the Atua Government Hospital pending autopsy, had his brain gushed out.
DAILY GUIDE earlier gathered that the tenants said they heard a gunshot and rushed into the room only to find the four-year-old boy motionless in a pool of blood.
From Daniel Bampoe, Somanya