The Cape Coast Magistrate’s Court has directed prosecutors handling the fatal shooting in connection with chieftaincy at Mankessim, in the Central Region, to expedite investigations into the incident in order to allow full trial to commence.
The prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police DSP Daniel Gadzo, on Tuesday appealed to the court for more time for investigators to gather enough evidence and retrieve the weapon that was used in the murder.
The presiding magistrate, Ms Anita Sheila Crabbe, granted the request, and remanded Eric Ato Appiah Mends, 45-year-old accused, in prison custody again to reappear on Tuesday, November 26, 2024.
She, however, instructed that the investigation must be completed for full trial to start before the end of the year.
Appiah Mends, popularly called Ato Kyinam, allegedly shot and killed Mr Alfred Yamson, also known as Kwesi Mitchell, during attempts to perform rituals to commence the celebration of Odambea festival in the Nkusukum Traditional Area.
The alleged shooting happened when two feuding factions clashed during a procession through the Mankessim Township with a cow to perform rituals for the festival.
However, Abusuapanyin Solomon Ato Budu-Hagan, Head of Family, Twidan Abusua, Nkusumkum Amanse of Mankessim, told the Ghana News Agency after the court hearing that his side attempted to stop the performance of the rituals because customs had been breached.
He said that there was no active kingmaker (Obaatan) to perform the customary rites with the cow as custom demanded, because the Obaatan had been suspended.
Abusuapanyin Budu-Hagan, claimed that a stranger had been imposed on them as Obaatan to perform the rites.
This move, he stated, been vehemently resisted, and a petition had been sent to all relevant bodies, including the Central Regional House of Chiefs.
“They proceeded with it and there was a misunderstanding and without any provocation, the accused shot one of my kinsmen dead,” the Abusuapanyin narrarted.
A young man believed to be in his early 30s, was shot by an unknown assailant during rituals to commence the celebration of Odambea festival in the Nkusukum Traditional Area.
The celebration of Odambea involves 20 communities, including Biriwa, Anomabo, Kromantsir, and Saltpond with Yamoransa as its headquarters.
However, prolonged chieftaincy dispute in the area had marred the beauty of the festival, which for many years had not been fully celebrated by all its people.
Sometime in July this year, the chiefs and people of Yamoransa led by Okogyeman Okese Essandoh IX, Omanhen of Nkusukum Traditional Area, re-launched the festival at Yamoransa.
When a group was processing through the Mankessim Township with a bull to commence rituals for the festival, another faction, engaged in chieftaincy litigation, blocked sections of the road.
This sparked a confrontation that escalated into violence, resulting in the death of Mr Alfred Yamson—GNA
