Hang This Killer! Court Orders

The 26-year-old man accused of murdering two African-Americans at Fihankra, near Akwamufie in the Eastern Region has been sentenced to death by hanging by an Accra High Court.

The court presided over by Justice Marley Wood handed down the death sentence to the convict, Yaw Anokye Frimpong after a seven-member jury returned a guilty verdict.

The jury had in a unanimous decision found Yaw culpable of the murder of Mamelina Diop, 75 and Nzinga Khaliya Jaana, 69 between 4 and 5 May, 2015, at Fihankra.

The Attorney-General had earlier on advised that some five other suspects initially charged alongside Yaw be freed because they could not be tried.

They were: Nana Appia-Nti III, mechanic; Brenda Kareema Mohammed, a pensioner and her son, Yazid Alazim Mohammed, a businessman, Mensah Kamaugogo Muata, a Surgeon Assistant and Nana Obiri Yeboah, farmer.

All six suspects including Yaw were standing trial for conspiracy to murder and murder of the two deceased persons.

Yaw was however, committed to the high court for trial by an Accra Central District Magistrate Court following the AG’s advise, facing a two count charge of murder.

In all the prosecution called six witnesses including the Assemblyman for Fihankra and the case investigator, Detective Corporal David Dzokoto.

Judgment

In the judgement, the judge said Yaw had told the court that he went to the scene of the crime not to kill the deceased persons but to steal.

She said the convict clubbed the head of the deceased persons until they both died adding that Yaw after the act conveyed the bodies one after the other in a wheelbarrow and buried it in a shallow grave.

The court held that it is not in dispute that Mamelina and Jaana died as a result of the club used for hitting them, an act confirmed by the accused himself.

The judge explained that the harms caused the two was unjustifiable indicating that Yaw knew the outcome of his action.

The court stated that Yaw after the act went to a place to buy “Akpeteshie” a locally brewed gin in order to forget what he had done.

The judge recalled that the convict told the court that he was not contracted to kill Mamelina and Jaana, stressing that a confession statement is enough to secure a conviction.

Other Killngs

Offered the opportunity to plead for mitigation, Yaw said he admits committing the offence but it was unintentional.

He disclosed that he had confessed to the police all other crimes he had committed but the instant case was the only one singled out for investigation and prosecution.

Yaw who was speaking in Twi further told the court that he spoke the truth for the other cases to be dealt with for him to be free.

“These cases are hunting me because I know what I did was not right” he stated.

Lawyer for Yaw said his client is sorry and remorseful saying “we plead with the court to temper justice with mercy…”

“The men and women you have elected to try you, having found you guilty, you are sentenced to death by hanging” Justice Wood said adding “May God have mercy on your soul.”

Facts

The Akosombo police mounted a search for the two deceased African-Americans after they were reported missing.

The search led to the discovery of freshly dug grave, about 150 meters to Yaw’s maize farm, in which the bodies of the women who were pensioners from the American Civil Service, were discovered.

Interrogations led to the arrest of the convict who confessed to the crime while the others denied their involvement.

Yaw after confessing, demonstrated to the police how he murdered the two sisters after which he buried their bodies in a shallow grave.

Source: Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson/ thePublisher