The High Court in Accra (Criminal Division), has ordered Victor Nana Kankam, a landlord, who is standing trial for the murder of his tenant Benjamin Okyere, at Ofankor to open his defence to the charge.
The order of the court, presided over by Justice Marie-Louise Simmons, followed a ruling on a submission of no case to answer after the prosecution closed its case.
Chief State Attorney, Sefakor Batse, who is leading the prosecution, called eight witnesses including three police officers, a pathologist and doctors to give evidence.
While dismissing the submission of no case to answer, Justice Mrs. Simmons ruled that, through the eight prosecution witnesses, a prima facie evidence has been established which would require the accused to respond to the charge of murder.
The Court said, even though the accused argument was that he acted in self defence, prosecution has been able to produce substantial evidence on all the elements of murder which establish a prima facie case against him.
The Court again said, the evidence adduced so far outweighs their claim that he acted in self defence.
Following the dismissal of the application on the submission of no case to answer, the Court has directed the accused to file his witness statement and that of his witnesses by the end of December.
The case has been adjourned to series of dates in next year including January 14, and 19, 2027.
Victor Stephen Nana Kankam, also known as Nii Kojo Obo-Schroeder, a landlord, has been charged with allegedly shooting and killing his tenant, Benjamin Okyere, at Ofankor, and is standing trial for murder.
Nana Kankam, a businessman, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder and had his seven-member jury panel empaneled, with the trial ongoing.
Background
Stephen Victor Nana Kamkam, a businessman and a landlord who allegedly shot his tenant over rent at Ofankor, has been committed to stand trial at an Accra High Court on April 4.
Stephen Victor Nana Kamkam, a businessman and a landlord who allegedly shot his tenant over rent at Ofankor, has been committed to stand trial at an Accra High Court on April 4.
The Abeka Court has committed him to stand trial for the murder of Benjamin Okyere, a musician and a tenant, on May 25, 2020.
The businessman is facing a charge of murder. He was earlier admitted to bail by a High Court.
The state is expected to call nine witnesses during the trial at the High Court.
When the Abeka District Court asked Kamkam during the committal proceedings whether he would be calling any witnesses during the trial, he said he would have a conference with his lawyer to ascertain whether to call witnesses.
Kamkam told the district court that he shot the victim in self-defence.
Items to be tendered in evidence during the trial include four triple-A empty shells, four pellets retrieved from the deceased room, 47 live A live cartridges recovered from the accused person’s room, pepper spray, bulletproof jacket, and an autopsy report of the deceased.
Kamkam was picked up by the Police when he allegedly shot and killed Okyere, his tenant, on May 25, 2020.
The deceased was a musician who lived at Ofankor Spot-M, while Kamkam, his landlord who was into real estate, also resided in the same area.
Some years ago, the deceased rented an apartment from the accused, but the tenancy expired on May 24, 2020.
Okyere opted for renewal of the tenancy agreement, and the accused accepted but later changed his mind and asked Okyere to vacate the apartment, asking him to leave and hand over the keys.
On May 25, 2020, the accused took his action pump gun, hired a taxi, and went to the residence of Okyere.
On reaching the venue, the accused alighted as the taxi driver left.
The accused called the deceased at the gate and requested that he hand over the apartment keys.
The deceased, who knew the behaviour of the accused, had earlier called one John Bosco Kotah, a police officer friend, to come to his aid.
When Kota arrived, he saw the accused in possession of the weapon, so he got scared, and he rushed to Okyere’s room and picked up a phone to call another police friend to assist them.
The deceased was at the gate with the accused, and without any provocation, the accused opened fire and shot Okyere four times at close range.
When Kotah heard the gunshots, he came out of the room only to see the accused running away. He chased the accused to a distance but being scared that the accused might harm him, he returned to attend to Okyere.
Okyere was rushed to Aneeja Hospital at Tantra Hills and later sent to the Achimota Mile Seven Police Station, where a complaint was lodged.
Okyere was rushed to the Police Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Police later visited the crime scene and saw blood spattered at the main gate entrance to the deceased’s apartment.
Four spent AAA cartridges were retrieved at the crime scene. The accused was later picked up at his residence at Ofankor.
Two pump action guns loaded with seven and eight rounds of cartridges, respectively, were found in the room of the accused.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
