Court adjourns Mankessim killing trial for further investigations

A Cape Coast District Court hearing the case of the slain nursing student, Georgina Asor Botchwey, has for the fourth time, adjourned the trial.

The prosecution led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Daniel Gadzo walked up to the presiding judge, Mrs Bernice Mensimah Ackon, to pray for time to conclude with investigations even before the case could be called in court.

The accused persons, Christopher Ekow Clarke Quansah, Michael Darko, a self-styled pastor and Jonathan Obeng, a mason were, thus, remanded for two more weeks in absentia to reappear on Tuesday, November 22, 2022.

The family of the deceased, then approached the prosecution after his encounter with the judge and indicated to the media in an interview that the accused persons were not present in court.
A family head , Papa Annan Swanzy, said the prosecution told them that the police could not transport the accused persons from Accra to the Cape Coast Court Complex because they did not have fuel for their vehicle.

He said the entire country was following the case closely and that “there is nothing that will escape us.”

An aunt of the deceased, Madam Kate Swanzy, said the family would not back down on the case until justice was served.

“We are extremely livid over this incident and we are ready to go every length to see the end of it,” she indicated.

She further appealed to the security agencies to work harder to stop the incessant killings in the country.

Quansah, Darko and Obeng are being held in custody for the murder of 25-year-old Georgina Asor Botchwey at Mankessim in the Central Region.

They have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and murder, but their pleas were yet to be taken by the court.

The facts of the case before the court as presented by DSP Gadzo at the last hearing on October 18 said on Thursday, September 08, 2022, the deceased came from Yeji in the Bono East Region for an interview at the Ankaful Psychiatric Nursing Training School in Cape Coast as a student applicant.

She called Darko to inform him of her presence in town upon her arrival.
The prosecution said Darko promised to pick the deceased up after her interview on Friday, September 9, 2022.

DSP Gadzo said as promised, the two accused persons went to pick the deceased from Ankaful in a taxi to Pedu in Cape Coast where Quansah had parked his Benz with registration number GT 8686 – C and drove her to Akwakrom, a suburb of Mankessim.

He said Quansah and Darko took the iPhone of the deceased, locked her in a room and left for Sikafoambantem, a suburb of Mankessim, where they engaged Obeng to dig a grave in an uncompleted storey building belonging to Quansah.

He said at 0200 hours, Quansah and Darko took the lady to the uncompleted building where Quansah hit her neck with a club from behind and Darko strangled her till she died.
The prosecution said they then cut her hair and buried her in a hole.

He said on the same day, the Police in the Central Region picked intelligence which led to the arrest of Darko at Anomabo but Quansah managed to escape.

The prosecution said upon interrogation, Darko admitted the crime and said they wanted to use the deceased for money rituals.

He said on Wednesday September 21, 2022, Quansah was also picked up from his hideout by the Police.

Source: newsghana.com.gh