Eric Kojo Dua
The main suspect in the shooting to death of two police officers at Budumburam, near Kasoa, last year, made his first appearance before an Accra High Court for the commencement of his trial yesterday.
The accused, Eric Kojo Dua, is facing two charges of murder while another, Michael Sarfo Ani has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
They were committed by a Kaneshie Magistrate Court which found that the evidence against them was enough for them to stand trial.
The accused during their maiden appearance before the high court pleaded not guilty and were remanded into custody.
Their lawyer, Augustines Obour, attempted to secure bail for them by making an oral application in which he impressed upon the court to grant them bail pending the trial.
The lawyer based his application on the ground that the accused persons have been in custody for a very long time since their arrest.
The prosecution, led by Frances Mullen Ansah, a Chief State Attorney, opposed the application for bail stating that if the lawyer wants bail for his clients he should formally file an application before the court.
The court, presided over by Justice Elfrida Denkyi, dismissed the application saying she was not inclined to grant the accused persons bail.
The case was adjourned to May 20, 2021.
Deadly Incident
Dua on August 28, 2020, allegedly shot and killed Sgt Michael Dzamesi, a service driver, and L/Cpl Awal Mohammed – both personnel of the Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) detachment at Kasoa.
The officers were said to be on task force duties on the Kasoa-Winneba Highway when Dua and three others on board an unregistered Toyota Camry blatantly ignored the signal of the officers to stop and sped off.
The police pursued them and other events led to Dua shooting and killing both officers who have since been laid to rest.
Dua was on the run after the deadly incident, and was later arrested on the Senchi Bridge on Saturday, August 31, 2020 in the Eastern Region.
He is reported to have said he killed Sgt Dzamesi out of revenge for the death of his mother because he was convinced that the deceased was responsible for it.
Sarfo Ani is alleged to have aided Dua in firing the weapon at the two police officers.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak