AN OBUASI Magistrate Court has remanded John Frank Kojo Essien, the director of Ghanatta Security Services, in police custody for allegedly shooting to death an illegal miner at the South Tailings Storage Facility Dam of AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) in Obuasi.
Twenty-three-year-old Kwame Eric, a native of Binsere, was gunned down on Wednesday, August 10, at about 7:30pm when he and his group of illegal miners �unlawfully entered� the company�s tailings storage dam area to prospect for gold quartz.
The victim later died of the gunshot wounds on Sunday at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi where he was receiving treatment.
Fifty-four-year-old Essien, who is facing the provisional charge of murder, has denied any responsibility of the shooting incident, insisting in his caution statement to the police that he and his two co-workers rushed to the scene after they heard the sound of a gunshot.
The court presided over by Frank Gbedze, however, remanded the accused person to re-appear on August 3, 2011, following a plea by the prosecution.
DSP Yaw Obeng Asubonteng told the court that the deceased, Kwame Eric, 23, was a native of Binsere, while the accused, John Frank Kojo Essien, was the director of Ghanatta Security Services, a private security firm that had been engaged by AGA to man its dam near Dokyiwa, a farming community near Obuasi.
According to prosecution, on Wednesday August 10 this year, the deceased and some people went to the South Tailings Storage Facility Dam of AGA where the accused and two others were on guard.
DSP Asubonteng said the deceased and his friends, upon spotting the security guards, decided to backtrack, and while running away, the accused person, who was holding a gun, also discharged the firearm in the process, hitting the 23-year-old man at the back.
Kwadwo Eric, who sustained gunshot wounds, was taken to the AGA hospital, but was later transferred to KATH where he died four days later.
The prosecutor said a report was made to the police and the accused person was arrested, charged and arraigned.
Kwame Eric left behind a wife, Afia Dorcas and two daughters including five-month-old Richlove Frimpong. The other daughter, Beatrice Antwi, 3, was said to be a pupil of God is Good Preparatory school in the municipality.
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