Cop Murder Trial In Limbo

The trial of General Constable Ebenezer Owusu by an Accra Fast Track High Court seems to be hanging in the air with the retirement of the prosecuting attorney.

He is being tried for allegedly shooting and killing a senior police officer and a visitor to the then Volta Regional Minister, Kofi Dzamesi, at his (Dzamesi's) residence.

The principal state attorney, Anthony Wiredu, is reported to have retired sometime this month (January) upon clocking 60   years and is yet to be replaced.

Mr. Wiredu has handled a number of high profile cases, including the trial of the Bawku Central Member of Parliament (MP), Adamu Daramani Sakande, leading to the conviction of the latter to five years' imprisonment term.

He was also the state attorney in the trial of the MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, which ended in his (MP's) favour, among other cases.

General Constable Ebenezer Owusu's case has been adjourned to February 5, 2015 by the trial judge, Justice Mustapha Habib Logoh, to enable the Attorney-General assign the docket to another attorney.

Joseph Nii Ayikoi Otoo is counsel for the accused person.

The first witness in the case, John Ofori Ankumah, was said to be on duty at the residence of the former minister with General Constable Ebenezer Owusu on the day of the incident.

The accused person allegedly shot and killed a senior police officer, Theophilus Quartey and Daniel Dzikunu Agbale, a visitor to the minister – now deceased.

John Ofori Ankumah had told the court that on June 2, 2008, the girlfriend of the accused person brought him some food and he later went to see her off.

The witness said Dzikunu arrived after Gen. Constable Owusu had left and asked to be allowed to see the minister, but Theophilus Quartey advised him to call Mr. Dzamesi and inform him about his arrival, if he had his (minister's) number.

According to him, Dzikunu became offended and stormed the residence of the minister.

The witness stated that the minister's brother later came around and he (witness) told him (brother) about the mission of Dzikunu but he (brother) said the minister did not want to see him (Dzikunu).

Ofori Ankumah revealed that the accused then came back and he (Ankumah) informed him (accused) about the incident and he suggested that they should go and see one of their superiors called TT Quartey.

In addition, he stated that Gen. Constable Owusu then went and informed TT Quartey and they arrived together with the District Officer and went straight to the minister's residence.

According to the witness, he later heard gunshots but he did not go into the residence, adding that a few minutes later the District Officer came out and went away.

By Fidelia Achama