The trial of the two Nigerians accused of kidnapping and killing four girls from the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis in the Western Region, which was scheduled to continue yesterday, was adjourned again until October 27.
DAILY GUIDE gathered that the two accused persons — Samuel Udoetuk Wills and John Oji — were not brought to the High Court yesterday.
It would be recalled that when the Sekondi High Court hearing the case sat on September 7, 2020, it could not continue proceedings due to the absence of the defence counsel and the case had to be adjourned to October 5, 2020.
The presiding judge, Justice Richard Adjei-Frimpong, took the decision to adjourn the case because the lawyer for the accused persons, Mark Bosia, from the Legal Aid Board who had been cross-examining the witnesses in the case, was absent because he was isolating after his colleague had tested positive for Covid-19.
The judge told the audience in the court room that the information was initially given to him verbally but insisted that it should be written for the record, adding “and the Legal Aid Board wrote officially to inform the court.”
In September, the court commenced full trial of the two Nigerians — Samuel Udoetuk Wills and John Oji — who allegedly kidnapped the four girls who have been found to have died after DNA analysis, thereby sparking national outrage.
So far six prosecution witnesses led in evidence by the Chief State Attorney, Patience Klinogo, had testified.
They included Alexander Koranchie, father of one of the victims, and Priscilla Mantebea Koranchie, who was 15 at the time she was kidnapped on December 21, 2018.
The second prosecution witness was Esther Oppong, a 17-year-old student and a friend of Priscilla Mantebea Koranchie.
The third prosecution witness was Francis Bentum, father of Priscilla Blessing Bentum of Dievene near Takoradi, kidnapped on August 17, 2018 at Kansaworodo.
The fourth prosecution witness was Emmanuel Anzah Cobbinah, grandfather of Ruth Abakah, a victim.
Rita Quayson, the fifth prosecution witness was the sister of Ruth Love Quayson, a victim, as well as Stacy Damptey, a sixth prosecution witness and a friend of Ruth Love Quayson.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Sekondi