Kasoa Soldier ‘Killer’ Denied Bail

Benlord Ababio

 

A High Court in Accra has once again denied a bail application filed on behalf of Benlord Ababio, aka Nana Barima Ababio, a self-acclaimed traditional ruler who shot and killed a soldier at Millennium City, Kasoa in the Central Region.

This was after the prosecution was able to convince the court that the accused person is a very “aggressive individual” and a “very notorious land guard” who will not show up for the trial if granted bail.

Frederick Adu Gyamfi, a State Attorney, in his argument against the bail application, indicated that the accused due to his violent nature, “when given the least opportunity he will not be able to resist but commit another offence.”

Ababio and Amo Sekyere have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, while Ababio is facing a substantive charge of murder. They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Ababio allegedly shot the late soldier who had gone to the Millennium City Police Station to report an incident of trespassing on a half plot of land which is a subject of litigation.

Sekyere has been admitted to a GH¢1 million bail with two sureties, but Ababio was remanded when he made his first appearance before the trial court.

His lawyer, Faustinus Yirilabuo, moving a repeat application before the court yesterday, indicated that the grant or refusal of bail bothers heavily on fundamental human rights of the accused person, including the presumption of innocence, freedom of movement, right to personal liberty and the right to procure witnesses in defence.

He argued that bail is at the discretion of the court but it must take into account fundamental human rights of every accused person, no matter the perceived gravity of the offence that the accused person is charged with.

 

Opposition

Frederick Adu Gyamfi, a State Attorney, opposed the bail application, arguing that the accused person is a flight risk as the prosecution has presented the accused and his counsel with what he referred to as ‘overwhelming evidence’.

“The evidence that the prosecution has against the applicant is such that the applicant committed the offence of murder in the full glare of the public in no other place than a police station.

“There cannot be any better motive for an accused person to abscond justice than an accused who knows very well the evidence against him,” he argued.

He added that Benlord Ababio committed this heinous crime while he was on bail for another violent offence.

Justice Kizita Naa Quarshie, the trial judge, refused the grant of the application and ordered that the accused remain in prison custody.

 

Brief Facts

The prosecution’s brief fact indicates that the deceased, Lance Corporal Michael Danso, was a military officer stationed at the Army Base Workshop at Burma Camp.

It states that on April 30, 2024, at about 4pm, the deceased Lance Corporal Michael Danso together with his two colleagues – Lance Corporal Abdul Omar Rahman and Lance Corporal Ametus Matthew went to Millennium City Police Station on board a Toyota RAV4 with registration number 3591-24 to report a case of trespass.

It said this was upon information that some encroachers were developing a parcel of land belonging to Lance Corporal Abdul Omar Rahman.

The fact said the accused appeared at the police station, attacked, and opened fire severally on Lance Corporal Michael Danso, who was in charge of the steering wheel of the Toyota RAV4 vehicle, killing him instantly.

 

BY Gibril Abdul Razak

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