Irate residents storm court to lynch murderer of 4-year-old

Over 1,000 residents of Offinso in the Ashanti Region thronged the forecourt of the Offinso Circuit Court to lynch a suspect who is alleged to have murdered a 4-year-old girl.

The Offinso Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Ben Wunchi, explained that “it took Offinso police almost two hours to disperse thousands of angry residents who besieged the Offinso Circuit Court as they demanded for the head of the suspect”.

The suspect, 20-year-old Owura Kwaku, was arraigned before the Offinso Circuit Court Wednesday on the count of kidnap and murder after he was arrested for allegedly beheading 4-year-old Benedicta Owusu Sarpong.

The decapitated body of Benedicta was found lifeless Tuesday night behind the St. Patrick Nursing and Midwifery College prompting police action.

The over 1,000 residents thronged the Offinso Circuit Court in their quest to have the suspect released for them to lynch him for his crime.

A freelance journalist, Jonathan Ofori, who has been following the story, was on Akoma FM‘s current affairs and political show GhanAkoma and told host Aduanaba Kofi Asante Ennin that “it took the police close to 2 hours to control the crowd”.

“I will describe yesterday’s event at the court as unusual tension which multitudes of angry residents yearning to crush and serve justice for the bereaved family.”

Police personnel had to go in for reinforcement as they say “the situation was more than a Herculean task to disperse the enraged residents who but for the timely intervention of the security agencies who whisked the suspect away, would have lynched him.”

The Offinso murder case adds up to several crime incidents within the Region, a situation that has sparked public outcry.

The suspect has been remanded into police custody and will be re-arraigned before court on June 9, 2021.