Murder of GPHA PR Manager: House boy and driver face fresh charges

There was drama at the Tema District Court when two persons standing trial in connection with the murder of the Marketing and Public Relations Manager of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Josephine Asante were discharged by the court and were re-arrested and escorted to the Police headquarters.

When the case was called on Monday, the Prosecution informed the Court that they were withdrawing the charges leveled against the accused persons based on advice from the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

According to prosecution, the Court should therefore, discharge the accused persons, namely Christian Agyei, 22, House boy and Amos Apraku, driver of the deceased who were facing committal proceedings.

While the accused persons were leaving the court room, the Police on the other hand took positions at the court premises and escorted the accused persons into a waiting vehicle to the Police headquarters.

They have been put in custody to assist with further investigations as a result of new development in the matter which has traveled over 3years.

According to the facts of the case presented to the court by Inspector Beatrice Ayeh, the complainant in the case was Amos Apraku, an employee and driver of the deceased.

She said the deceased was residing at block E of EMEF Estate on the Afienya road together with her husband, their 12-year son and the suspect.

She said the deceased's husband travelled to the United Kingdom, leaving her with the suspect and son.

According to the prosecution, on January 12, 2019, Mrs. Asante attended a get-together party organised by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority at the senior staff club house at Tema Community six.

She said at about 11:30pm, the complainant drove her from the party grounds towards her house.

However, the driver was said to have alighted at Michel Camp and handed over the keys of the Mercedes Benz salon car to Mrs. Asante to continue the journey from Michel Camp to her home at EMEFS Estates by herself.

Prosecution indicated that the House boy met his madam upon reaching home and collected a polythene bag from her and returned to his room at the boys' quarters adding that, he could, however, not tell the time she arrived or whether another person was in her Mercedes Benz saloon car.

The prosecution said the house boy informed investigators that at about 03:30am that Sunday that he and the deceased's son heard some unusual sound on the compound and therefore conducted a search but did not find anything. They therefore retired to bed.

Prosecution stated, however, that the house boy claimed he saw a male figure wearing a black t-shirt and a jeans running through the living room and escaped through the main gate.

Inspector Ayeh said at about 08:30am on Sunday, January 13, 2019, the suspect and the son tried opening Mrs Asante's door but found it locked and therefore called the driver.

The driver, according to the police, found the keys to the house at the entrance of the gate when he went there upon receiving the call and used same to open the deceased's door and found her in a pool of blood lying supine.

The prosecutor said investigators who were assigned to the case after the complaint was lodged, collected semen found in her, finger prints and other evidence at the scene.

According to the facts the investigators spotted the house boy burying a polythene bag containing GH₵430 and the deceased's wristwatch behind his room and was therefore apprehended.

---DGN online