The prosecution in the case in which some traditional priests have been held for the murder of a-64-year-old Bio-Chemist Edward Quartey Papafio at Adeiso in the Eastern Region has filed a new charge sheet following the death of Christian Awoe Gamelie aka Power 1, in lawful custody.
Power 1, 40, was the first of the three traditional priests who had been held for the alleged murder but succumbed to death in custody.
In court on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, before a new magistrate Kofi Oheneba-Kuffour of the Kaneshie District Court, the prosecutor Detective Inspector Lawrence Anane told the court of the death of Gamelie.
To this end, the old charge sheet filed was substituted with a new one filed on September 20.
With the new charge, two more persons have been added to Famous Adukonu aka Scorpion, 37 and Yaw Azamate, 27 who are in custody.
The two new faces arraigned in court are one Oscar and one Albert with another Michael at large.
According to the Prosecutor, the case docket has been sent to the office of the Attorney General for advice.
EIB Network’s Court Correspondent Murtala Inusah reports that, though the charges were read to them, their plea was not taken on the provisional charges of conspiracy to commit a crime to wit murder and murder.
The case has been adjourned to November 4, 2021.
Background
On their first appearance in court in August 2020, the prosecution led by Detective Inspector Anane said for convenience sake, the Police would prefer that the accused were remanded into Prison custody.
The court agreed with the prosecution’s prayer and remanded them into prison custody.
Bench warrant
Meanwhile, a bench warrant issued for the arrest of Michael Ahiavinye and one Buzanga who are at large is still in force.
It was the case of the prosecution that the complainant is the Reverend Comfort Ruth Quartey Papafio, who resides at Takoradi in the Western Region. Gamelie, Adukonu and Azamete operate their business at Adu Kojo and Kwasi Nyarko, all suburbs of Mame Dede in the Eastern Region.
According to him, on January 17, 2020, the complainant reported her missing husband, Quartey Papafio, from his residence at Kasoa on January 15, 2020, at about 0733 hours.
The Detective Inspector said on receipt of the complainant, the Police gathered intelligence that the deceased was last spotted at Gameli’s shrine located at the outskirts of Adu Kojo, which led to the arrest of Gameli and Adukonu on April 21, 2020
He told the court that, a search conducted at Gameli’s shrine revealed two pump action guns, one single barrel gun, eleven packets of cartridges and seven other pieces of the cartridges from his room and two shovels were found hidden at the back of his house.
The Prosecution said during interrogation, Gameli and Adukonu admitted shooting the deceased with the pump-action gun on January 15, 2020, and buried the corpse at the Shrine.
He said on April 29, last year, the two led the Police to Power-One herbal/Spiritual Centre where the Police identified the deceased’s grave in a makeshift cemetery behind Gameli’s house, adding that the scene was secured and an exhumation order was obtained from the court for that purpose.
The prosecution said on April 25, last year, a Pathologist in the company of Senior Officers from the CID Headquarters, Personnel from the Crime Scene Management Team, Forensic Science Laboratory, Drone Operation and CID/ Headquarters Operational Team together with the two accused to exhume the deceased body.
He said when the grave was dug, the decomposed body of Quartey Papafio was removed and it was discovered that his grave was among other graves in the accused’s cemetery, which was well fenced.
The prosecution said investigations disclosed that on December 29, 2020, Gameli, Adukonu and Azamete conspired to kill Mr Papafio, hence lured him with the assistance of one Buzanga, also a traditional priest at Kasoa, currently at Large.
The prosecution said before the murder of the deceased, the accused intentionally, made a false statement to the deceased and succeeded in collecting ¢10,650 from him through mobile money under the pretext of conjuring ¢400,000 for him to establish his company.
He said Papafio was invited to the shrine on January 15, last year for purification and in the process, Adukonu shot him with Gameli’s gun.
The prosecution said the accused then drained a quantity of Papafio’s blood into a plastic gallon and hide same at the shrine while Gameli took possession of the deceased mobile phones and later buried the deceased with the assistance of Azamate and Michael who is also on the run.
The Prosecution said Gameli and Adukonu allegedly confessed to the Police that the blood in the gallon was a mixture of Papafio and another victim who was also buried among other bodies at the cemetery.
He said the gallon of blood and the body were deposited at the Police morgue for examination.
Mr Anane said the complainant later identified the two mobile phones of the deceased.
The prosecution said the Pathologist gave the cause of death of Mr Papafio as hemorrhagic shock, traumatic amputation and unnatural severe chest pain.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Murtala Inusah
