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 suffered another adjournment over the absence of jurors.
On Tuesday, June 11, 2024, the case was called for a Case Management Completion plan to be agreed on by the parties for the trial to commence.
But the proceedings did not happen. The jurors have been on strike since May 16 over their 10 months unpaid allowance.
“My lady respectfully, this matter was scheduled to today (June 11) for Case Completion plan to be agreed between the parties and the Court,” Ebenezer Yaw Acquah who represented the Attorney General stated.
“But the Court is handicapped by the absence of the jurors,” and “We humbly pray for directions,” the Prosecution added.
Justice Ruby Aryeetey has since adjourned the case to July 1, 2024.
The accused Richard Appiah also said to be a footballer had pleaded not guilty before the High Court in Accra.
He had denied killing two minors namely Louis Agyemang, 12, and Stephen Sarpong, 15, and has been charged with two counts of murder.
On February 14, 2024, the Court presided over by Justice Ruby Aryeetey was when the trial was fixed to commence.
This was after 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 investigations caution statements of the accused person dated August 21, 2021, further investigation caution 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 the deceased parts of Stephen Sarpong, partially burnt clothes, slippers, and Photographs of the clothes of the deceased Stephen Sarpong.
Also, Photographs of a double-door fridge of the accused containing body parts of deceased 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.”
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 had fixed March 14, 2024, for the 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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