Teacher on murder trial: Pupil died of heart failure

An autopsy report has established that the school girl who died after being caned by a teacher, was a hole-in-heart patient.

The report attributed the cause of death to heart failure.

Following this revelation yesterday at the Akim Oda magistrate's court, the teacher, Kwabena Gyan was granted GH¢300 bail.

Gyan, who had been charged with murder of the pupil, Victoria Ampofo, 14, was remanded in police custody when he first appeared in court last week.

Chief Inspector Osei Kwadwo, the prosecutor, told the court yesterday that the autopsy conducted at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in the presence of the deceased's parents, revealed that the death was as a result of cardiac failure.

The lead counsel of the accused, Mr A. Amankwah, told the court presided over by Mr Albert Owusu Annor, that after listening to the autopsy report, it was clear that his client was innocent.

He said it was unfortunate that his client had been charged with killing a child with two strokes of the cane when in actual fact, he was only trying to discipline the child for being late to school.

The second counsel for the accused, Anthony Boateng, also told the court that it was unfortunate that the accused had to suffer for disciplining the child.

He said the deceased suffered from a sudden heart failure which is a congenital disease and could have killed anybody within a second.

He therefore prayed the court to grant the accused bail arguing that he was a full time employee with a permanent place of abode and married with two kids and therefore would not abscond.

Mr Boateng contended that the accused was only a victim of circumstances.

The judge, Mr Annor listening to the counsel and the prosecutor granted the accused bail until May 19. He is also to report to the police once a week.