Committal proceedings of killer of Prof Benneh to start on June 9

The Kaneshie District Court has fixed June 9 to commence the committal proceedings against Ebenezer Kwayisi, the alleged killer of Professor Emmanuel Yaw Benneh, the law lecturer who was killed at his residence in East Legon.

At the Wedneday’s sitting, Prosecuting Inspector Ebenezer Teye Okuffo informed the court that the Bill of indictment was ready but the state had not filed same before the court and served accused person.

The court presided over by Ama Adomako Kwakye therefore ordered the state to serve accused person with the bill of indictment 10 clear days before the next adjourned date.

Additionally, the accused was ordered to read all the documents contained in the bill of indictment.

Kwayisi aka Junior, is being held on the charge of abatement of crime, to wit murder.

The Prosecution told the Court that, Akosua Benneh-Akuffo, the complainant, was the niece of the late Prof Benneh, whilst James Nana Womba, the prime suspect, now deceased, was a cleaner in the deceased’s house at Agyiringanor.

He said Womba’s accomplices; Opambour Agya Badu Nkansah, was unemployed and lived at Ashaiman, Accra, while Ebenezer Kwayisi, a mason apprentice, also resided at Kasoa.
Prosecution said, on September 12, last year, at about 0800 hours, the deceased was found lying dead in a pool of blood in a corridor leading to his bedroom.

He said the deceased was lying in prone position with his hands tied behind him with a white rope and his legs also tied with a green rope just below the knees.

The prosecution said examination on the body of the victim revealed multiple marks of assault on the face, with a cloth partly inserted in his mouth.

He said the Police found on the scene hand gloves, a white rope with blood stains and blood stains on the walls.

The prosecution said, Police Crime Scene Management Team examined the scene and lifted a visible blood tainted thumb impression on the wall close to where the victim’s body laid.

The Prosecution said the body was deposited at the Police Hospital Mortuary for preservation and autopsy.

Inspector Teye-Okuffo said on September 21, last year, a post mortem examination was conducted on the deceased’s body and the pathologist gave the immediate cause of death as, “Asphyxiation, Strangulation and suspected homicide.”

He said on September 13, last year, James Nana Womba, now deceased, was arrested for investigation and his finger prints taken and sent to Finger Print Section of CID Headquarters for examination.

The prosecution said the result from the headquarters indicated the fingerprints captured at the crime scene were identical to that of Womba.

According to the prosecution, Womba confessed to the crime during investigations and mentioned Opambour Agya Badu Nkansah, now discharged by the court following Attorney General’s recommendation, and Kwayisi as his accomplices who were later arrested.

Inspector Teye-Okuffo informed the Court that investigations revealed that during the month of August last year, Womba contacted Opambour and hatched a plan to murder the victim in his house, so Womba assigned Opambour to recruit a gang to execute the plan.

He said two weeks later, the deceased, Womba had a change of mind and contacted Kwayisi to assist him execute the plan.

The prosecution told the Court that Kwayisi agreed and visited Womba and both discussed in detail how the plan was going to be carried out and on September 10, last year, the accused persons allegedly went to the victim’s house and executed their plan by killing the Professor.

He said the accused in their investigative cautioned statements narrated how each of them conspired with Womba to kill the victim.
GNA