The police have amended the charge sheet of some fetish priests who are in court for allegedly murdering a Biochemistry consultant at a shrine located on the outskirts of Adu Kwadwo, near Adeiso in the Eastern Region.
The amendment follows the death of Christian Awoe Gameli, popularly known as Power One, 40, the main suspect who had been remanded into police custody by a Kaneshie Magistrate Court following his arrest over the alleged killing of Edward Quartey Papafio.
This leaves four people who are now before a Kaneshie Magistrate Court, in Accra, for committal proceedings while another suspect whose name has been given as Michael, is still on the run.
The suspects in custody are Famous Adukonu aka Scorpion, Yaw Azamate, Oscar Mozaka and Albert Abrodenyo.
Appearing before the court yesterday, the prosecution led by Chief Inspector Lawrence Anane withdrew the old charge sheet and replaced it with a new one which was filed on September 20, 2021.
He said the amended charge sheet has been forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General for advice on the way forward in the matter.
He also officially informed the court about the death of Power One, and the court presided over by His Worship Isaac Oheneba Kuffuor adjourned the matter to November 4, 2021.
Case Background
The victim, who resided at Kasoa in the Central Region, was allegedly lured by Power One and his accomplices under the pretext of doubling money for him, and ended up shooting him dead at the shrine located on the outskirts of Adu Kwadwo near Adeiso.
The brief facts of the case presented in court indicated that the wife of the deceased, Reverend Mrs. Comfort Ruth Quartey Papafio, on January 17, 2020 reported that her husband had gone missing since January 15.
It said on receipt of the complaint, the police gathered intelligence that Papafio was last spotted at Power One’s shrine, which led to the arrest of Power One and Scorpion on April 21.
Police Search
According to the prosecution, a search conducted at the shrine revealed two pump-action guns, one single barrel gun, 11 packets of cartridges and seven other pieces of the cartridges from his room while two shovels were found hidden at the back of his house.
The prosecution said during interrogation, Power One and Scorpion admitted shooting Papafio with a pump-action gun on January 15, and buried the corpse at their shrine.
He said on April 29, the two led the police to Power One Herbal/Spiritual Centre where the police identified the deceased’s grave in a makeshift cemetery behind Power One’s house, adding that the scene was secured and an exhumation order was obtained from the court for that purpose.
Body Exhumation
Prosecution said on April 30, a pathologist in the company of senior officers from the CID Headquarters, personnel from the Crime Scene Management Team, Forensic Science Laboratory, Drone Operation and CID/ Headquarters Operational Team, together with the two accused, exhumed the body of the deceased.
He said when the grave was dug, the decomposed body of Papafio was removed, and it was discovered that his grave was among other graves in the well-fenced cemetery.
Prosecution said investigations disclosed that on December 29, Power One, Scorpion and Azamete conspired to kill Papafio, hence lured him with the assistance of one Buzanga, also a traditional priest at Kasoa.
Prosecution said before the gruesome murder, the accused intentionally made false statements to Papafio and succeeded in collecting GH¢10,650 from him through mobile money under the pretext of conjuring GH¢400,000 for him to establish his company.
The prosecutor said Papafio was invited to the shrine on January 15 for purification and in the process Scorpion shot him with Power One’s gun.
The prosecution said the accused then drained Papafio’s blood into a plastic gallon and hid it at the shrine while Power One took possession of the mobile phones of the deceased, and later buried him with the assistance of Azamate and Michael.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak