The six suspects alleged to have murdered the two African-American pensioners in Fihankra, near Akwamufie in the Eastern Region, would have to wait for two more weeks in prison custody before they can appear before the court for the continuation of the hearing of their case.
This is because the Accra Magistrate Court, presided over by Veronique Abena Praba Bamfort yesterday adjourned the case to June 8, 2015, as the Prosecutor in charge of the case, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Stephen Adjei, told the court that the docket was not ready.
According to him, the docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s office (AG) for instructions.
The court, therefore, asked the six suspects, Anokye Yaw Frimpong, driver, Nana Appia-Nti, mechanic, Nana Obiri Yeboah, farmer, Brenda Krareema Mohammed, pensioner, Yazid Alazim Mohammed, businessman, and Mensah Kamaugogo Muata, a surgeon assistant, to reappear on 8th June, 2015.
Counsel’s concerns
Counsel for the six alleged murderers, Charles Owusu Juan, raised a concern on the last adjourned date that the court put on record the open confession made by one of the suspected murderers, Anokye Yaw Frimpong, that he alone committed the crime.
According to him, all other suspects had no hand in the murder of the two Black Americans.
The suspect, who is among five others on trial in Accra, on the last adjourned date, raised his hand after the court had adjourned the case, and confessed that he alone perpetrated the act by killing and burying the two Black Americans, and that the rest of the accused persons had nothing to do with it.
The presiding judge also told the lawyer that what Anokye Yaw Frimpong confessed to was not recorded, because the court had already been adjourned that day.
Facts
The deceased, Mamelina Diop, 75, and Nzinga Jaana, 69, were pensioners from the American Civil Service, but reside at Fihankra near Akwumfie.
The first accused person (A1) is a driver, A2 a mechanic, A3 a farmer, A4 a pensioner, A5 a businessman, and A6 a surgeon assistant.
A2 is the Chief of Appiakrom, but lives in Atimpoku, whilst A1, A3, A4, A5 and A6 live at Fihankra.
In 1997, some African-Americans in the Diaspora decided to make Ghana their home, and they acquired 218.5 acres of land at Appiakrom, which is now called Fihankra near Akwamufie.
In the agreement, the group promised to build schools, a hospital, a stadium, provide portable drinking water and bring other amenities to the community.
The leader of the group, Oluwale Kwadwo Akpan, who made himself a traditional chief of the area, started issuing indentures and collecting annual rent for the lands allocated to residents.
After his death in May 2009, his wife, Majewa Adoujokroke Akpan, son, Goloi Osakwe Dwamena Akpan, and the now deceased took over the management of the fund.
A4, A5 and A6 revolted against that arrangement and accused the Akpan family and the two deceased, who were managing the fund, for defrauding and mismanagement.
This resulted in the creation of a website where the Akpan families and the deceased were maligned to the Diaspora. It also led to personal confrontations, which severed the cordial relationship between them, and their lives allegedly threatened by the suspects.
In 2003, the Appia- Nti family filed a civil suit against the Fihankra community at the Koforidua High Court over the acquisition of the land for not fulfilling the agreement.
A4, A5, A6, and others yet to be arrested, threw their support behind the Appia-Nti family. Later, the suspects had a series of meetings with A2 and his elders to find a way of evicting the Akpan family from the community.
Both parties later agreed and withdrew the case for settlement at home. In April 2015, A4, A5, A6, and others now at large, met A2 and his elders and reminded them of the earlier arrangements.
The suspects promised to enter into better negotiations with them. They further promised A2 a storey building in the community belonging to the Akpan family to use as his Palace when they are evicted.
During the disagreement, A4, A5 and A6 conspired with A1, A2 and Nana Frimpong, who is at large, moved into the community solely reserved for the Diasporans, in order to monitor the activities of the Akpan family and the deceased.
A4, A5 and A6 then rented a vacant apartment to A1, A3 and Nana Frimpong for that purpose, and they moved into it about nine months ago.
On May 5, 2015, Mamelina Diop and Nzinga Jaana were reported missing, and a report made to the Akosombo Police. A search led to the discovery of a freshly dug grave about 150 metres away from A1’s farm.
On May 6, 2015, an order was obtained from a District Court, Akosombo, and the spot was dug under the supervision of a Medical Officer from the Volta River Authority Hospital, Akosombo.
The bodies of the deceased were found buried in a shallow grave. The bodies were removed and deposited at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Mortuary for autopsy.
Investigations led to the arrest of the suspects. During interrogation, A1 confessed to the crime, while the others denied their involvement.
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