Crime & Punishment of Monday, 7 May 2007

Source: GNA

Police constable remanded for alleged murder

Cape Coast, May 7, GNA - A magistrates' court at Cape Coast on Monday remanded Stephen Okrah a 27-year-old police constable based at Agona-Nsaba and Lawrence Kelvin Kanda in prison custody for allegedly murdering one Mr Kwesi Frimpong a 38-year-old farmer. Their plea was not taken and they would reappear on Thursday May 31. Prosecuting Chief Inspector Augustine Amonoo told the court that last Tuesday Kanda and one Isaac Dadzie, visited Okrah at Agona Nsaba. Okrah asked Kanda and Dadzie to accompany him to town to visit another friend and whilst in town, Okrah sensed that someone was smoking wee in a house nearby and he and his friends went to investigate. When they entered the house they saw Frimpong and others smoking wee and on seeing Okrah and his friends they took to their heels. They chased the wee smokers and Okrah tried to arrest Frimpong but he resisted.

Mr Amonoo said Okrah called his two friends to assist him to arrest Frimpong. They overpowered him and dragged him by the shirt tied around his neck from the house to the roadside, rendering him unconscious. He said Frimpong was rescued by some people was sent to a nearby health centre where he was pronounced dead on arrival. A report was made to the police at Agona Swedru police and the two were arrested but Dadzie escaped.