Second accused person in Prof Benneh’s case appears in court after months of absence
The second accused person in the murder trial of the University of Ghana Law Lecturer, Professor Emmanuel Benneh, was in court after several months of absence.
Opambour Agya Badu Nkansah, who has failed to appear before the Kaneshie District Court since October due to his health condition, was discharged from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to join the third accused person on Friday.
Nkansah was seen limping, struggling to stand for more than five minutes.
The second accused person is facing charges of conspiracy and murder together with the lead suspect, James Nana Womba, who died in police custody.
The third suspect is Ebenezer Kwayisi.
When the case came up for hearing on January 15, prosecutor Inspector Ebenezer Teye-Okuffo, prayed the court to consolidate the charges of the second and third accused persons.
The court granted the request.
In the new charges, Womba (deceased) is labelled as the first accused charged with the murder of the former lecturer while Kwayisi and Nkansah are accused of abetment.
But the judge held that it is not right to charge someone who is already dead.
She said in reference to Womba.
The main suspect who allegedly confessed involvement in the murder of the law lecturer died in police custody on October 17, 2020.
Womba, who was the cleaner in the late lecturer’s household died at the police hospital in Accra.
The 26-year old was rushed to the intensive care unit of the police hospital and put on oxygen.
Womba’s mother claimed his son was murdered.
“It was possible he was poisoned because my son cannot die like that. He can’t just die, somebody killed him,” Madam Talata said in tears.
She said although her son allegedly died on Saturday, she was only informed on Monday by four armed men from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at about 10:00am.
“I was only informed by my son’s girlfriend called Veronica that Womba was unwell. I was told that somebody gave him fried rice. I think the fried rice might have been poisoned. My son might have been killed through food or some people were after his life,” she added.
Background
Four suspects were remanded into police custody over their involvement in the murder of Professor Benneh, a prominent lecturer of the University of Ghana.
The suspects were put before the Kaneshie Circuit Court on September 13, after they were all slapped with murder charges.
James Nana Womba, 26; Isaac Botchway, 41; Christian Pobee, 32 and Adams Mensah Mansur, 52, are domestic workers at the mansion of the late Associate Professor situated at Agyiringano.
The facts of the case as presented by Inspector Ebenezer Teye-Okuffo, was that Professor Benneh’s lifeless body was found in his home at about 8 am on Thursday, September 10, in a pool of blood with his hands tied behind his back and marks of multiple acts of assault and resultant cuts on his body.
READ ALSO: The Inside Story: University Of Ghana Law Lecturer Murdered In East Legon Mansion
Prof. Benneh had retired from the university but worked on contract and lived alone in his mansion.
There was no sign of a break-in. However, one Isaac Botchway, who was the late law professor’s houseboy said the last time he spoke to him was on September 10 at about 8 pm.
Mr. Botchway said he lived in Accra Central and Prof. Benneh normally called him whenever he needed him to run errands for him.
After finding out that the professor was not answering the door, they broke in.
“When the door was forced open, he was found dead,” Botchway narrated.
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