The commencement of the trial of Richard Appiah, the draughtsman accused of killing two minors and keeping their bodies in a refrigerator at Abesim near Sunyani, has suffered another adjournment.
The accused, Richard Appiah, also said to be a footballer, had pleaded not guilty before the High Court for allegedly killing two minors, namely Louis Agyemang, 12, and Stephen Sarpong, 15.
He has been charged with two counts of murder.
On Tuesday, February 11, 2025, when the case was the Court said the foreman of the jury had written to the Court of his unavailability to be part of the trial while another also gave indication to the Court.
The Court said, the said juror would have to be replaced on the panel forcing the case to be adjourned to February 27, 2025, by the Court presided over by Justice Ruby Aryeetey.
The prosecution, represented by Nana Ama Adinkra, a Senior State Attorney, had said during the Case Management Conference that the prosecution will be relying on documents listed in the summary of evidence attached to the bill of an indictment filed on May 31, 2023.
These documents she said include investigations cautioned statements of the accused person dated August 21, 2021, further investigation cautioned statements of the accused dated August 23, 2021 and September 10, 2021
She also told the Court that, they will be relying on the Autopsy reports of Stephen Sarpong and Louis Agyemang Jnr. dated December 16, 2022 and May 25, 2023 respectively.
She also said, the Prosecution will also rely on Photographs of the deceased parts of Stephen Sarpong, partially burnt clothes, slippers and Photographs of the clothes of the deceased Stephen Sarpong
Also, Photographs of a double door fridge of the accused containing body parts of type deceased Stephen sarpong and a charge statement of accused dated November 10, 2022, would also be relied on.
“Our disclosures contained 13 written statements, given at the police station and we have further attached five witness statements of Asuamah Yeboah, Kwasi Boateng, ACP Dr Owusu Afriyie, ASP Alhaji Shaibu Yakubu Damuin and Chief Inspector Alexander Otchere,” she told the Court.
She subsequently sought leave of the Court to to file additional witness statement of Thomas Agyei, the father of Louiz Agyemang Jnr, (deceased) “who is indisposed and was not in Accra and we hope he can recover in time to take his Witness statement.”
Lawyer for the accused Faustinus Yirilabuo, told the Court that he had received the disclosures as indicated by the Prosecution
Justice Ruby Aryeetey, the presided judge, has since fixed March 14, 2024, for the commencement of the trial as the Prosecution was directed to call their first witness.
