Teenager’s murder case: Lawyers ordered to file addresses by March 14

Gavel

The Accra High Court has ordered lawyers handling the Kasoa teenager’s murder case, to file their addresses by March 14, 2024.

The order came after the prosecution, led by Nana AdomahOsei, an Assistant State Attorney, ended cross-examination of the 18-year-old teenager, second accused in the case.

Meanwhile, defence counsel, Mr Lawrence Boampong, who held brief for Mr Martin Kpebu, for the second accused, told the court that they would not call witnesses.

According to Mr Boampong, the only witness, the second accused had was his grandfather, who is dead.

The court presided over by Mrs Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, therefore, ordered the lawyers to file their addresses.

The court asked the lawyers to file soft copies of the addresses via e-mails.

The court is expected to sum up the matter afterwards.

Two teenagers are standing trial for allegedly killing 11-year-old Ishmael Mensah Abdallah, in April 2021, at Kasoa, in the Central Region. They have been charged with conspiracy and murder.

Answering questions under cross-examination, administered by Nana Adomah Osei, second accused denied that he had boasted that he was going to purchase a Range Rover vehicle, a week to the murder of Abdallah.

“I never went to any London Bar in Weija with the first accused and bragged that I will soon buy a Range Rover very soon. I have never sat with the first accused to discuss any money ritual,” the 18-year-old denied.

Hesaid that the 15-year-old first accused had stolen GH¢1,200

from the first accused’s father and spent it.

The second accused said it was not true that he was arrested for possessing narcotic substances and pardoned by the then District Police Commander at Kasoa because he was a minor.

The second accused explained that he had issues with the police at Kasoa because he fought with Shasha, a Rastafarian, and that it was not true that he was involved in “constant social vices,” in his area.

The 18-year-old also denied that he and the 15-year-old juvenile offender agreed and acted together to Abdallah.

“I know nothing about what you are saying. I have not thought of committing such a crime with the first accused person,” second accused told the court.

The 18-year-old denied that he had confessed to the police that he hit the victim’s head with the handle of a pickaxe and the first accused smashed the victim’s head with a cement block.

He said: “I know nothing about what you have said. If I struck the victim with the pickaxe’s handle, he (Addallah) would have mentioned my name, not the name of first accused.”

The second accused said he was advised by Mr Agyemanto confess to hitting the head of the victim to avoid being beaten by the police at the Criminal Investigations headquarters.

The 18-year-old denied that on April 1, 2021, he gave the 15-year-old minor a handkerchief and a small bottle containing Chlorophyll.

He said: “The police officers searched everywhere, but they found nothing. I have never instructed the first accused to cover the victim’s nose and mouth with the handkerchief.” —GNA