The case docket on Victor Stephen Nana Kankam, the landlord who shot and killed his tenant, Benjamin Okyere, a budding musician at Ofankor in Accra, has been forwarded to the Attorney General’ Department for advice.
This follows the conclusion of investigations into the matter and the receipt of an autopsy report on the cause of death.
The prosecution led by Inspector Stephen Ahaile, appearing before the Abeka Magistrate Court in Accra yesterday, told the court that the docket on the cause had been forwarded to the AG and prayed for an adjournment.
The court presided over by Achamaa Ofosu adjourned the matter to July 20, 2020, waiting for the AG’s advice on the next step in the matter.
Meanwhile, the presiding magistrate has commended the family of the deceased for their adherence to her admonishment for them to stop creating disturbances at the court premise.
The court at the previous sitting had issued a stern warning to the family and their followers that it will not tolerate any disturbances from the relatives, which usually disrupt court proceedings.
She said the next time they do anything untoward, they will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
The magistrate gave the warning after relatives and friends of the deceased were drumming and chanting at the premise of the court when the case was called—and it was not the first time they were disturbing public peace under the guise of seeking justice for the deceased.
Stephen Okyere was shot four times—once in the rib, chest, shoulder and the thigh by his landlord— and as usual, relatives were at the court yesterday singing and chanting to force justice for him.
Kankam allegedly shot Benjamin Okyere four times.
He was initially rushed to Anoeja Hospital at Tantra Hill and later taken to the Achimota Mile 7 Police Station where a formal complaint was lodged.
The victim was then taken to the Police Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
While it is still not clear what triggered the deadly incident, there are rumours that the landlord killed the tenant over a woman.
Kankam is said to have expressed interest in a woman the tenant was close to and asked him (tenant) for help to win the lady’s affection and succeeded in ‘helping’ the landlord start a romantic affair with the said lady.
However, the tenant, according to reports, liaised with the lady to milk the landlord dry, always requesting cash and gifts from the landlord.
The rumours suggest that having been milked dry, the landlord ‘devised’ a scheme to take his ‘revenge’ by ensuring that the tenant moved out when his rent was due.
During an argument, the tenant with the accused had asked for more time to pack out of the room—but in the heat of the argument, Kankam allegedly shot the deceased four times, targeting his penis, stomach and chest areas.
The accused later claimed to the police that he acted in self-defence.
Source: Daily Guide Network
