An Accra Circuit Court Monday remanded Felix Ansah, a taxi driver, who allegedly confessed to killing many people for ritual purposes, including burying a pregnant woman at Ashiaman, into Police custody.
Ansah indicated on Onua TV morning show namely, “Maakye with the host Captain Smart,” that burying of a pregnant woman was done allegedly for a former Member of Parliament for Ashaiman.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge of publication of false news, before the Court presided over by Mrs. Rosemary Baah Torsu.
The Court ordered Ansah to reappear on September 16.
The Court, in its ruling on a bail application, held that it had taken note of the accused person’s statements and the gravity of the offence allegedly carried, and that, it would be in the accused person’s interest to be remanded.
It said it would, however, reconsider the accused person’s bail application at the next adjourned date.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Godfred Asiedu Bampoe, opposed to bail, saying it would be in the accused person’s own interest to be remanded as investigations were ongoing.
Chief Inspector Bampoe who held the brief of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sylvester Asare, said the accused person was only arrested last Friday, saying pronouncements of the accused person violated state security.
“It is for, his own interest that he should be kept and protected by the Police,” the Prosecutor said and that he would interfere with investigations taking into consideration the gravity of the offence, including “burying a pregnant woman.”
Mr. Theophilus Donkor, defense counsel prayed the Court to admit the accused person to bail because the Police had indicted where the accused person resided in Accra and the kind of work he did.
Mr Donkor said the accused person had pleaded not guilty and by law an accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
“Article 14 (1) gives the circumstances that the liberty of the accused person could be curtailed. The only remedy for the accused person is the grant of bail. The reason is that he is not to be punished before his guilt is established.”
Defense counsel held that his client was not going to interfere with investigations, adding that, the charges preferred against his client was a misdemeanor.
Mr. Donkor held that what his client spoke about was about “things happening in the spiritual realm,” adding that “if the Police are saying things not in relation to the charge, then we are at the wrong forum.”
According to defense counsel if any person or entity should be held liable, it was Onua TV that was to be held for publication of false news.
The Prosecution, narrating the facts, told the Court that sometime in September this year, the attention of Police was drawn to a statement made or published on the “Maakye show” on Onua Television station by the accused person to the effect that he buried alive a pregnant woman at Ashaiman.
The Prosecutor said upon the receipt of the information, the Police launched investigations into the matter, which led to the arrest of the accused person.
It said preliminary investigation revealed that the accused person was a taxi driver and resided at Wejia, Accra.
The Prosecution said it was also established during investigation that on September, 2, this year, at Onua TV morning show namely “Maakye” with the host, Captain Smart, the accused in a response to a question from the host stated that he (accused) had killed many people in the past.
It said he stated that he had buried a pregnant woman alive at Ashaiman to perform sacrifice for a former MP for Ashaiman.
The Prosecution said the Police was, however, yet to extend investigation to where the pregnant woman and other persons mentioned were buried by the accused person allegedly.
GNA