The late Prof Emmanuel Bennneh
A second suspect in the gruesome killing of a Senior Law Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Prof. Emmanuel Benneh, is said to be responding well to treatment, a Kaneshie District Court was told yesterday.
The suspect, Opambuor Agya Badu Nkansah, had taken ill sometime last month and was sent to the Police Hospital in Accra for treatment.
The suspect has since not been brought to court and the prosecution led by Inspector Robert Teye-Okuffo yesterday told the court that there are some treatments that have to be administered on the accused person at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, which was why he was not brought to court.
At the last court sitting, the court presided over by Ama Adomako Kwakye had ordered the prosecution to either present the accused person before the court or a comprehensive medical report on him be presented to the court.
This was after Emmanuel Larbi Amoah, counsel for Nkansah, told the court that the condition of his client at the Police Hospital was bad and urged the court to order the police to send him to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for further treatment.
Inspector Teye-Okuffo stated yesterday that “he is responding to treatment. We humbly pray the court that after November 25, 2020, if the accused person could not be brought to court due to his condition, prosecution would be able to furnish the court with the medical report the court ordered for.”
The court adjourned the matter to December 8, 2020.
Mother of the accused person who was in court, when asked about the condition of Nkansah, stated that he was responding to treatment.
Gruesome Murder
Prof. Benneh was found dead in a pool of blood on the corridor leading to his bedroom in his Adjiringanor mansion at East Legon, Accra, on September 12.
James Nana Womba, 26 (deceased), a cleaner at the law lecturer’s residence and Badu Nkansah, unemployed, were then arrested and put before the court, and charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit crime and murder over the killing.
Suspect’s Confession
Womba before his death allegedly ‘confessed’ to killing the law don with the aid of Opambuor Agya Badu Nkansah, a resident of Ashaiman, and two others who are currently on the run.
Inspector Teye-Okuffo, presenting the facts, indicated that Prof. Benneh was found dead in his house on September 12, 2020.
He told the court that the police found the victim lying in a pool of blood with his hands and legs tied together on a corridor leading to his bedroom.
The court heard that the deceased had marks of assault on his body with a rag stuck in his mouth.
Inspector Teye-Okuffo also told the court that the body of the deceased was in a state of decomposition when it was found.
Cause of Death
He also told the court that an examination of the body of the Professor disclosed the cause of death as asphyxiation, strangulation and suspected homicide.
Three suspects namely Isaac Botchwey, 41, houseboy; Christian Pobee, 32, cleaner, and Adams Mensah Mansur, 52, a gardener, all workers in the Professor’s mansion, who were initially arrested in connection with the gruesome murder, were subsequently discharged by the court.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak