Mankessim Murder Trial: Case Adjourned For Fourth Time Running, Deceased's Family Angry With Course Of Proceedings

The Cape Coast District Court 2 presided over by Her Worship Bernice Mensima Ackon has on Tuesday, November 8 adjourned for the fourth time running the murder case of trainee nurse Georgina Asor Botchway by one Tufuhen, Christopher Ekow Clark Quansah, and his accomplices Micheal Darko and Jonathan Obeng to 22nd November 2022.

Adjournment of the trial comes at the backlash of complaints by the Police Service's incapacitation of raising funds to fuel its vehicle to transport the culprits to reappear before the court, as noted by prosecutor DSP Daniel Gadzo, handler of the case. Family linguist to the deceased, Papa Annan Swanzy after the court procession thanked the media for its unflinching support and consistency in reportage on the matter as he communicated what transpired in court during the case's fourth hearing. Meanwhile, speaking in an interview with the Aunty of the deceased, Madam Kate Swanzy (They Go) remarked to Accra-UK Radio, the family's frustration towards the delay surrounding the trial, as she charged the Nana-Addo led the government to step into the matter to make sure proceedings regarding the prosecution of the arrested culprits is fast attended to.

Background The deceased, Georgina Asor Botchwey, lives at Yeji in the Bono East Region. She was an applicant seeking admission to the Ankaful Psychiatric Nursing School. She arrived in Cape Coast on the 8th of September, 2022. Upon arrival, she called the pastor and informed him about his presence in the region and what she was coming to do. The pastor, a self-styled pastor, and boyfriend of the sister of the deceased informed her he will pick her up after the interview.

They met at the Ankaful Psychiatric Nursing School and picked the deceased up in a taxi to Pedu junction in Cape Coast where the chief had parked his Benz car with the registration number GT 8686-C. The chief drove to Akwaakrom where he was a Tufuhen, took the deceased’s iPhone, and locked her in a room. The accused person went to Asikafo Ambantem, a suburb of Mankessim where they dug a hole in an uncompleted story building belonging to the chief.

They went back for the deceased and sent her to Asikafo Ambantem. The chief allegedly hit the deceased with a club whereupon the deceased fell. The pastor is also alleged to have held the neck of the deceased till she died. They took the hair of the deceased after killing her and left the uncompleted story building around 2 am.

A complaint was lodged to the police by the brother of the deceased, Alfred Duodu. The police picked intelligence and started looking for the accused persons and, on the 19th of September, the pastor was arrested at Anomabo where he admitted to the crime. He subsequently led the police to where the deceased had been buried.

The body of the deceased was exhumed. The police further picked intelligence and Christopher Ekow Clark Quansah, the Tufuhen of Ekumfi Akwaakrom and trader, was arrested at his hideout at Ekumfi Akwaakrom. He also admitted to the crime and stated that they did that for money rituals.

The accused were put before the Cape Coast District Court 2 presided over by Her WorshipBernice Mensima Ackon. They were charged with conspiracy to commit a crime to wit murder; and murder contrary to section 46 of the Criminal and other offenses Act, 1980, Act 29.

The plea of the accused was not taken. The fact and the charges were read to them in Fante and Twi. The prosecutor, DSP Daniel Gadzo, pleaded with the court to allow them some time to conclude their investigations.