The commencement of the trial of Richard Appiah, the draughtsman accused of killing two minors and keeping their bodies in a refrigerator at Abesim near Sunyani has been fixed for March 14, 2024.
Appiah, also said to be a footballer, had earlier pleaded not guilty before the High Court l in Accra.
He had denied killing the two minors namely Louis Agyemang, 12, and Stephen Sarpong, 15, and has been charged with two counts of murder.
On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, the Court presided over by Justice Ruby Aryeetey fixed the commencement date after the conclusion of the Case Management Conference (CMC).
Nana Ama Adinkra, a Senior State Attorney, during the CMC said, the prosecution will be relying on documents listed in the summary of evidence attached to the bill of indictment filed on May 31, 2023.
These documents, she said, include investigation caution statements of the accused person dated August 21, 2021, further investigation cautioned statements of the accused dated August 23, 2021, and September 10, 2021
She also told the Court that, they will be relying on the autopsy reports of Stephen Sarpong and Louis Agyemang Jnr. dated December 16, 2022, and May 25, 2023 respectively.
She also said the prosecution will rely on photographs of parts of Stephen Sarpong as well as partially burnt clothes, slippers, and photographs of the clothes of the deceased
Also, photographs of a double-door fridge of the accused containing body parts of Stephen Sarpong and a charge statement of the accused dated November 10, 2022, would also be relied on.
“Our disclosures contained 13 written statements, given at the police station and we have further attached five witness statements of Asuamah Yeboah, Kwasi Boateng, ACP Dr Owusu Afriyie, ASP Alhaji Shaibu Yakubu Damuin and Chief Inspector Alexander Otchere,” she told the Court.
She subsequently sought leave of the Court to file an additional witness statement of Thomas Agyei, the father of Louis Agyemang Jnr, (deceased) “who is indisposed and was not in Accra and we hope he can recover in time to take his Witness statement.”
The lawyer for the accused, Faustinus Yirilabuo, told the Court that he had received the disclosures as indicated by the prosecution.
Justice Ruby Aryeetey, the presided judge has since fixed March 14, 2024, for commencement of the trial as the prosecution was directed to call their first witness.
The accused is facing a jury trial.
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