Relatives of Georgina Asor Botchwey, who was brutally killed for money rituals on September 9, 2022, at Mankessim in the Mfantseman Municipality in the Central Region, have expressed dissatisfaction with how well the alleged murderers of their loved one look after a year in police custody.
Christopher Ekow Quansah Clark (the first accused), also known as ‘Nana Clark’ and his accomplice, Pastor Michael Darko, have been in police custody since Monday, September 19, 2022, after a thorough investigation revealed that Jonathan Obeng (the third accused) had dug the pit where the deceased was buried.
The family raised this concern after the alleged killers appeared before the Cape Coast District Court 1 on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, presided over by Her Worship Anita Sheila Serwah Crabbe.
The case was initially handled by Her Worship Bernice Mensima Ackon of the Cape Coast District Court 2, who was later replaced by His Worship Eric Oheneba Boasiako after her transfer a few months later.
In an interview with the media after the court proceedings, an uncle of the deceased, Papa Annan Swanzy, said he was astonished by how the alleged killers of his niece looked healthy and comfortable amid the tension surrounding their actions.
The uncle of the deceased also wondered if the accused persons were really in police custody, since the bereaved family had not been informed of the exact cells where the alleged killers were being held.
Papa Swanzy, however, assured the public that the family was determined to pursue the case to the end; hence, there was no need for anyone to worry about an unfair trial.
The case has been adjourned to Tuesday, October 24, 2023, as court proceedings indicated that the trial had reached its committal stage and preparations were underway to transfer it to the High Court after obtaining the Attorney General’s advice on the case to free Jonathan Obeng (the third accused) after findings proved him innocent of Asor Botchwey’s murder.
Background
The deceased, Georgina Asor Botchwey, lived at Yeji in the Bono East Region. She was an applicant seeking admission to the Ankaful Psychiatric Nursing School in the Central Region.
She arrived in Cape Coast on September 8, 2022.
Upon arrival, she called Pastor Michael Darko and told him about her presence in the region and what she had come to do.
Michael Darko, a self-proclaimed pastor and boyfriend of the elder sister of the deceased, told her he would pick her up after her interview with the Nursing School.
They met at the Ankaful Psychiatric Nursing School and took the deceased in a taxi to Pedu junction in Cape Coast where Christopher Ekow Clark Quansah (Nana Clark), the Tufuhene of Ekumfi Akwaakrom and a Trader had parked his Benz Car with registration number GT 8686-C.
The chief drove to Akwaakrom, took the deceased’s iPhone and locked her in a room.
The accused person went to Asikafo Ambantem, a suburb of Mankessim where they had dug a hole in an unfinished storey building belonging to the chief.
They went back for the deceased and took her to Asikafo Ambantem.
On September 9, 2022, around midday, the chief and the pastor murdered the deceased for money rituals.
The chief allegedly clubbed the deceased until she fell down.
The pastor allegedly strangled the deceased until she died.
They cut off the hair of the deceased after killing her and left the unfinished storey building around 2 am.
A complaint was lodged with the police by Alfred Duodu, a brother of the deceased.
The police gathered intelligence and started looking for the accused persons and on September 19, they arrested the pastor at Anomabo where he confessed to his crime.
He then led them to where they had buried the deceased leading to exhumation of her body.
The police further gathered intelligence which led to arrest of Tufuhene at his hideout in Ekumfi Akwaakrom.
He also confessed to his crime and said they did that for money rituals.
The accused were arraigned before Cape Coast District Court 2 presided over by Her Wordship Bernice Mensima Ackon.
They were charged with conspiracy to commit crime to wit murder; and murder contrary to section 46 of Criminal and Other Offences Act ,1980 ,Act 29 .
Their plea was not taken. The facts and charges were read to them in Fante and Twi .
The prosecutor ,DSP Daniel Gadzo ,pleaded with court to give them some time to conclude their investigations.