Crime & Punishment of Thursday, 11 March 2010

Source: GNA

Two in court for allegedly beating a neighbour to death

Accra, March 11, GNA - Two persons were on Thursday remanded into prison custody by a Circuit Court in Accra for allegedly beating their neighbour to death.

Francis Akorli and Emmanuel Gelli are jointly held for murder. The court after listening to the facts did not take their pleas and remanded them to re-appear on Thursday, March 25 pending further investigations.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Reindolf Agyemang, the prosecutor said the deceased was Kwame Aggrey who lived with his girl friend in a kiosk at East Legon, near American house in Accra. According to ASP Agyemang, the accused persons also lived in the same area and on March 5, this year, the deceased had a quarrel with one Christian for allegedly flirting with his girl friend. Prosecution said the quarrel which continued until the following day compelled Christian to travel.

On March 6, Aggrey went to the wife of Gelli and accused her for allegedly conniving with Christian to flirt with his girl friend. However, this generated into a fight and Akorli joined Gelli's wife and they both fought with Aggrey. Prosecution said when Gelli returned from town, he also joined the fight and in the process one of the accused persons struck Aggrey with an unknown object.

He said the following morning, Aggrey's girl friend detected that he was suffering as a result of the assault and while Aggrey's girl friend was preparing to send him to the hospital he died in his sleep. The prosecution said a report was lodged with the police, and Akorli and Gelli were arrested. Meanwhile, the corpse has been deposited at the Police Hospital in Accra for post mortem.