Crime & Punishment of Wednesday, 1 August 2018

Source: dailyguideafrica.com

Pastor killers to die by hanging

The condemned persons have been charged with conspiracy and murder The condemned persons have been charged with conspiracy and murder

Two students of Tamale Technical University, who were arrested by the Tamale police concerning the murder of Pastor Rev. Ocran Ebenezer, head of End Time Bible Believers Fellowship, at Kumbiyili near Malshegu in Tamale, have been sentenced to death by hanging by the Tamale High Court.

Both convicts, Dogyi Kwame, 28, and Akwasi Obio, 21, admitted killing the deceased in their police statements and were subsequently charged with conspiracy and murder.

At the end of the case in which the prosecution called nine witnesses, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of ‘guilty’ on both counts. Accordingly, the Tamale High Court Judge, Mr. Justice Edward Apenkwah, sentenced them to death.

It would be recalled that Dogyi Kwame and Akwasi Obio were arrested by the Tamale police for the murder of Pastor Rev. Ocran Ebenezer.

The deceased pastor, 64, and a native of Takoradi was allegedly hit with an object and killed on the spot by the suspects.

The body of the deceased pastor has since been deposited at the Tamale Teaching Hospital for autopsy and preservation.

The suspects reportedly took away a blue Toyota Highlander with registration No.GN 1763-14 with some undisclosed amount of money.

The Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Yussif Mohammed Tanko, who confirmed the arrest to DAILY GUIDE, said a complaint was lodged by Ben Asamoah, a pastor of the church, when he detected the crime.

According to him, the District Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police Service had information about a Toyota Highlander registered GN 1763-14 being brought to the informant – a sprayer at Tamale Industrial Area – to be re-sprayed and sold. Hence, undercover detectives were dispatched to the scene but the culprit had left, leaving the vehicle behind to be sold.

He indicated that intelligence led to the arrest of Dogyi Kwame, who is identified as the one offering the car for sale. He is said to be a co-tenant of the deceased and a cousin to Akwasi Obio.