The Ho High Court has sentenced three individuals to life imprisonment after being found guilty of the charges of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, and abetment of crime.
Seven jurors appointed to adjudicate the case passed a guilty verdict for all three charges pressed against the convicts.
The three were said to be involved in the shooting and killing of four people at the Omanhene Palace at Pai Kantanka in the Oti Region, in the heat of a chieftaincy dispute in 2019.
Two of the culprits now convicts, Kwabena Aduam and Amanpene Gyane broke down in uncontrollable tears in the courtroom after hearing their sentence, while Kwabena Asante who had been on remand, showed indifference.
Friends and relatives who accompanied Kwabena Aduam and Omanpene Gyane, who were on bail, were thrown into mourning, while relatives of the deceased were seen jubilating and pouring powder on each other. They lauded the court for delivering justice.
Judgment The sitting Judge, His Lordship Justice George Buadi explained that he found inconsistencies in the witness statements and cross-examination of all three.
“They tried to act clever by pleading alibi but evidence from the investigator proved beyond reasonable doubt that they indeed committed the crime”, he said.
Responding to the judgment, Senior State Attorney, Moses Asampoa thanked the court especially the jurors for upholding the principle of justice, as the decision will serve as a deterrent to anyone who intends to take the laws into their own hands.
Background
The culprits stormed the chief’s palace with locally manufactured shotguns and in broad daylight, engaged in sporadic shooting, killing one person on the spot.
Three others who sustained serious injuries were rushed to the Worawora Government Hospital but died while receiving treatment.
Following investigations, the police arrested two in the town and after a few months picked up Asante, who had fled into neighbouring Togo.
The area has been hit with a series of chieftaincy disputes despite a court ruling affirming Nana Diawuo Bediako II as the substantive chief for the area and has since been gazetted at the National House of Chiefs.
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