Mankessim ex-queenmother and four others charged with murder

The ex-queenmother of Mankessim, Nana Ama Amissah III, and four other individuals, including a fire service officer, are set to face a murder trial over the deaths of Samuel Ampofo, the Mankessim Municipal Director of the National Investigations Bureau (NIB), and Kofi Yamoah.

The trial, which will take place at the Weija-Gbawe Magistrate Court, is the result of a six-year investigation by the Ghana Police Service’s Cold Case Unit into a shooting incident that occurred on December 7, 2019.

The accused, James Kofi Obosu, also known as Nana Obosu Amissah; Nana Ama Amissah III; Joseph Kobina Ansah (Nana Okutseku); Robert Gardiner; John Eric Kofi Turkson (Nana Edu); and Clement Kwesi Owusu; are accused of being involved in the deadly shooting during a procession in Mankessim, which followed the installation of a new queenmother, Nana Araba Otua I.

The shooting resulted in the deaths of Ampofo and Yamoah and left three others, including a police inspector, with gunshot wounds.

The shooting took place near the family house of the Edu Nsona Royal family, one of the two factions vying for the Mankessim paramountcy after the Cape Coast High Court annulled the installation of Nana Osagyefo Amanfo Edu VI and Nana Ama Amissah III.

Police investigations revealed a longstanding chieftaincy dispute that fuelled the violence.

Nana Ama Amissah III is accused of masterminding the attack and orchestrating meetings to plan the disruption of the new queenmother’s installation.

James Kofi Obosu, who allegedly fired the fatal shots, was identified in a police lineup.

The Cold Case Unit’s extensive investigation, which included witness testimonies and electronic evidence, led to the arrest of the accused persons, including the ex-queenmother.

The trial marks a significant development in the investigation of the deadly shooting, and it is expected to bring justice for the victims and shed light on the role of the accused in this tragic event.