The 18-year-old teenager in the alleged Kasoa ritual murder case has told the High Court in Accra that his grandfather, whom he would have called as his witness, is dead.
The second accused denied having planned, together with the 15-year-old (1st accused), to seek spiritual powers to acquire wealth, leading to them taking the life of Ishmael Mensah Abdallah.
Before closing his defence on Wednesday, February 14, the 18-year-old, through his legal team, informed Justice Lydia Osei Marfo and the seven-member jury panel that he had no witnesses.
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“We do not have anybody to call as a witness for A2 (18-year-old). A2 (18-year-old) told us that the person he would have called as a witness is his grandfather, who is no more,” said Lawrence Boampong, Counsel for the 2nd Accused.
The two teenagers have been charged with conspiracy and murdering 10-year-old Ishmael Mensah Abdallah.
While the 15-year-old juvenile (1st accused) has admitted the offence and stated that they “committed the crime together,” the 2nd accused has denied the charges.
State prosecutors led by Nana Adoma Osei, a senior state attorney, had subjected him to cross-examination.
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“I finally put it to you that it was you who agreed to act together with A1 (15-year-old) juvenile to kill Ishmael Mensah Abdallah, and you actually succeeded in killing him,” the State Prosecutor suggested to him.
In his response, the 18-year-old said, “I know nothing about what you are saying. And also, I would not have had that thought in my mind that A1 and I committed that crime.”
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The court, presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, has since ordered the parties to file their final written submissions by March 14.
The court will then fix a date for the lawyers to orally address the jury with their final submissions before the court subsequently sums up the trial for the jury to return their verdict.