The Asokwa District court has remanded one Akwasi Brefo Manu into police custody for allegedly stabbing a 38-year-old man to death at Adum-Afrancho in the Ashanti Region after a disagreement.
The accused person who is injured and is receiving treatment at the Dominase Hospital under police guard was not present in court.
Five other accused persons, including the Chief of the area and a police officer, who were present in court have been granted bail.
Kwame Yeboah met his untimely death on Sunday, 3rd July 2022 following a disagreement.
According to eyewitnesses, the deceased’s elder brother, Kwame Danso was being attacked and in his attempt to defend him, he was also stabbed and unfortunately died while his brother, who sustained injuries, is receiving treatment at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
The prime suspect, Kwasi Brefo Manu, has been charged with murder, while the others have been charged with rioting and possession of an offensive weapon.
The prosecutor, ACP Kofi Blagodzi, prayed the court to remand all the accused persons to allow for further investigations, as he vehemently opposed the bail application filed by the lawyers of the accused persons and said they will interfere with investigations.
The lawyers for the accused persons argued that granting their clients bail will not affect investigations negatively.
The court presided over by her honour, Kizita Naa Koowa Quarshie subsequently remanded the prime suspect, while four other accused persons were granted GH¢30,000 bail with two sureties, one to be justified, a landed property.
The police officer, Chief Inspector Opoku Addai, who is part of the accused persons, has been granted a self-recognizance bail.
The prosecutor, ACP Kofi Blagodzi said he is however disappointed with the ruling.
“As a lawyer, there would be certain rulings that I would be disappointed with, but what will you do? The trial judge has exercised her discretion, but I’m so disappointed. What happened was that, because we didn’t want to have a problem with the constitutionally mandated hours (48 hours), we rushed them to court for them to be remanded while we continue with our investigations but the judge has exercised her discretion but all the same, once the court has spoken, as a lawyer, I have to accept it”.
The family members of the deceased say granting the other accused persons bail could bring about reprisal attacks.
“I am disappointed in the Magistrate’s ruling. I don’t understand why the police officer who gave out his knife to be used by the main suspect to kill my relative has been granted bail. For the family, we are very disappointed. We fear granting them bail could lead to disturbances in the area. If the Chief and the others were even granted bail, the police officer who gave out the weapon to the prime suspect should not be granted bail. So, who would be blamed if something untoward happens?”, Attah Poku, spokesperson of the family, stated.
