Kasoa Rituals: Two accused persons to be charged with murder

Two persons standing trial are expected to be charged with murder for ending the life of 10-year-old Ishmael Abdallah Mensah for money rituals.

Nicholas Kini and Eric Nyarko now face murder and conspiracy to murder charges.

This comes after a duplicate case docket was sent to the Attorney General’s office by prosecutors regarding the next line of action for the two boys.

A family spokesperson for the late Ishmael Mensah, Samad Akalilu, was elated the actual trial would soon commence.

He, however, added that they were still looking at bringing the matter to finality.

“We want an expeditious trial. We are not happy when a day passes, and this case is not fast-tracked. But on the flip side, we are happy because we have been waiting for the AG’s advice,” he said.

The Ofaakor District Court judge Oheneba Antwi-Boasiako adjourned the case to July 15 for continuation.

Why the two are in court

On April 4, 2021, two teenagers were arrested by the police in Kasoa in the Central Region for their alleged involvement in a murder related to money rituals.

Felix and Nicholas are said to have lured their victim into an uncompleted building and reportedly killed him.

He was playing a video game when he was called into the uncompleted building by his playmates, who are known residents in the area.

Per the reports, the accused persons hit Ishmael with an object which resulted in instant death.

According to sources, the incident happened at the Kasoa suburb of Lamptey Mills on Saturday, April 3, 2021, between 5 pm and 6 pm.

Meanwhile, some residents in the area have said a fetish priest the suspects had contacted told them to bring human parts for rituals.

Ishmael lived with the mother and sister at Kasoa, whilst the father lived elsewhere.

According to Ishmael’s mother, the father had travelled and had not visited them for some time.

As a practice, the mother of the deceased said the boy often attends Islamic lessons on Saturdays but failed to do so on that fateful day because he was waiting for his father, who had promised to visit.

The mother said Ishmael’s sister rushed in to inform her that he had been killed.

The residents apprehended the teenagers and reported the case to the Kasoa police.