Incontrovertible evidence by the prosecution has convinced the Wa District Court that the former human resource manager of the Royal Cosy Hills Hotel (Jirapa Dubai) and girlfriend conspired to kill Mr. Eric Johnson, CEO of ‘Jirapa Dubai.’
Chief Superintendent of Police, Abdulai Amadu Alichewu, who led the prosecution, first informed the court of the change in the charge sheet.
Mr. Amadu Alichewu concluded by saying that the prosecution has incontrovertible evidence showing that the prime suspect, Eliasah Mahama Akpanyikye, connived with his girlfriend, Belinda Miller, to kill Mr. Johnson.
However, Mr. Alichewu asked the court to discharge and acquit four of the seven suspects.
Presiding judge Maxwell Maxbrain Titiriku remanded Mr. Mahama Akpanyikye to prison custody, whilst Miss Miller and Kweku Kumbata are to be in police custody to reappear on April 15.
According to reports, Eliasah Mahama was sacked for allegedly having many sexual connections with more than four female hotel employees, which resulted in conflict and unhealthy competitiveness among the female staff, hampering hotel operations.
The hotel management later rescinded the decision to sack 26-year-old Belinda Miller, who is a national service person.
The prosecution further stated that Eliasah Mahama Akpanyikye invaded Eric Johnson’s private property on the night of February 10 by scaling the fortified guarded wall with an aluminum ladder.
According to the prosecution, available phone records showed that Mahama called Belinda Miller many times while at the private property, asking her where he could find the master key to Mr. Johnson’s room.
Eliasah Mahama entered Mr. Johnson’s room and repeatedly stabbed him, leaving him naked and in a pool of blood.
The prosecution showed that he also grabbed an undefined amount of money from the room. He also took Mr. Johnson’s Nissan car key, which he used to leave the murder scene, and later abandoned the car near Jirapa Zongo.
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He, however, fled Jirapa in the early hours of the morning to Takoradi, where he was apprehended and airlifted to Wa.
Mr. Amadu Alichewu stated that they have conclusive evidence that the principal suspect, Eliasah Mahama Akpanyikye, conspired with his girlfriend, Belinda Miller, to murder the CEO of the Jirapa Royal Cosy Hills Hotel.
The court directed the prosecution to work with the Attorney General’s Office to expedite investigations.