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Two key suspects involved in the gruesome murder of the late Akua Denteh at Kafaba in the Savannah Region have been committed to stand trial at the High Court.
They are – Latifa Bumaye, 25, and the High Priestess Hajia Serena, 40.
This was after state prosecutors had given the Bole District Court a summary of the state’s case against them and an overview of the evidence it intends to use against them.
The magistrate Andrew Prince Cudjoe in his ruling to commit the accused persons said upon assessing all the evidence put before him, he believes they have questions to answer.
The two have officially been charged with conspiracy to committing murder and murder.
A jury will be empanelled ahead of the trial at a Tamale High Court, State Prosecutors told dailymailgh.com after court proceedings on September 18.
“These are offenses which carry the death penalty and so they will be trialed by a judge at the High Court and a seven-member jury said the Chief State Attorney at the Office of the Attorney General Mr. Salia Abdul- Kudus.
“The law gives them the right to a fair trial which is well established in the Constitution and the state all necessary assistance to enable them to mount a credible defense and that is why they indicated that they have witnesses”, he added.
The court also discharged five other suspects following the state prosecutors’ “legal opinion”. They were subsequently rearrested by the police after proceedings.
The suspects – Haruna Aness, 34, Issifa Tanko, 35, Shaibu Murtala, 29, Sulemana Ali, 35, and Issifa Zakyibo, 32, are currently in police custody, reports Dailymailgh.com’s Savannah Regional Correspondent, Osman Abubakar-Sadiq.
“They appeared very aggressive when they stood before the judge. Security was also beefed up at the court premises, too”, Osman said.
Background
Akua Denteh, about a month ago, was tortured and killed by some residents of Kafaba in the East Gonja District of the Savannah Region after she was accused of being a witch by a supposed priestess brought into the community to allegedly cleanse it.
The matter generated a nationwide uproar with many calling on the police to ensure that all those culpable are made to face the law.
A number of people including those seen in the viral video torturing Akua Denteh were subsequently arrested by the police.
By Osman Abubakar-Sadiq, Daily Mail GH
Email Daily Mail GH: stories@dailymailgh.com or
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