Kasoa ritual murder: I wanted money at all cost – 15-year-old accused tells jury

The 15-year-old Juvenile who is standing trial together with an 18-year-old young offender has yet again pointed to a disturbing phenomenon about what motivated him into the act that led to the death of 10-year-old Ishmael Mensah Abdellah.

The juvenile accused had earlier told the Court that, whatever happened in the case, the two of them acted together to kill the 10-year-old boy.

Explaining to the Court what motivated him into getting involved in the whole act, the juvenile accused said, he was motivated by the way a woman he saw on a television advertisement was bringing out monies saying that with just GHc5000, they could get a lot of money.

“When I was watching the program, the way the woman was bringing out the monies and when she indicated that when you bring GHc5,000.00 you will get a lot of money, that motivated me to write down her number,” he told the Court under cross-examination from Lawrence Boampong holding Martin Kpebu’s brief for the 18-year-young offender.

Asked by Counsel why he did not say no to the suggestion from the second accused person to use his friend Ishmael Mensah Abdellah, he said he agreed because his mind was already made up to make money at all cost.

“As at that time I had already made up my mind that at all cost I must get the money that was why I did not say no to his suggestion,” the juvenile accused told the Court,” the 15-year-old told the jury.

Two teenagers – a 15-year-old juvenile and an 18-year-old young offender (both names withheld) have been charged for the death of 10-year-old Ishmael Mensah Abdellah who is said to be their friend.

Though the 15-year-old admitted the offense while his plea was being taken, the court entered a not guilty plea for him instead as the law enjoins the court for the jury to determine the matter upon full trial.

But, the 18-year-old who together with the 15-year-old have been charged with conspiracy to commit and murder, had denied the charges all along.

Below are excepts of Cross-examination by Counsel for 18-year-old Young Offender. Question (Q): Answer (A)

Q: How many years have you known Nicholas Kini (A2)?

A: For 13 year

Q: Currently are you a friend to A2?

A: He is my very good friend

Q: What motivated you to write down the telephone number of the woman that was displayed on Lucky TV?

A: When I was watching the program, the way the woman was bringing out the monies and when she indicated that when you bring gHc5,000.00 you will get a lot of money, that motivated me to write down her number.

Q: So you are suggesting to this Court that your motivation was to acquire a lot of money through the woman you saw on Lucky TV. Is that correct?

A: Yes my Lady

Q: How old were you at that time?

A: 14 years

Q; And why did you want to acquire a lot of money at that age?

A: It was because of the situation we were in at that time

Q: What situation are you referring to?

A: As at that time we were not attending school. My father did not have money and my mother did not also have money

Q: It is on record that your father is a mason and you were his apprentice is that correct?

A: Yes

Q: Is it the case that your father was not giving money to your mother to take care of the home or better still to feed the home?

A: It is not that my father was not taking care of the house but the situation at home was bad.

Q: Will you agree with me that quest to acquire a lot of money was based on reasons known to you than the situation of your family that you refer to?

A: That is not true

Q: Why did you go to A2’s house to discuss your intended quest to acquire more money?

A: It is because Nicholas is my friend and I discuss everything with him.

Q: Was A2 the only good friend you had at that time?

A: As I said earlier Nicholas is my very good friend and I discuss everything with him. When I even have money I spend it with him.

Q. Was Ishmael Abdallah, the deceased also your friend?

A: Yes my Lady.

Q: Why did you not say no when A2 suggested to you that you should use Ishmael Abdallah, the deceased to achieve your intended plans?

A: As at that time I had already made up my mind that at all cost I must get the money that was why I did not say no to his suggestion

Q: Do you have persons of your age in your area who are rich?

A: No my Lady.

Q: Could you tell this Honourable Court why the deceased, Ishmael Abdallah mentioned your name when A2 hit him with the wooden stick of the pick axe?

A: I cannot tell the reason why Ishmael mentioned my name.

Q: Do you not think that if your assertion that

A2 used the wooden stick to hit the back neck of the deceased the deceased should have rather mentioned his name and not yours?

A: If Nicholas had not done it I would not have mentioned his name.

Q; Why did you go ahead to bury the deceased at the time he was still alive?

A: At that time we buried him because we wanted to keep the body there and call the woman to listen to what she will say.

Q: On your way to fetch the water for your mom what was going through your mind knowing fully well that you had buried your friend?

A: At that time all I was hoping for was that the parents of Ishmael should not look for him because they were at home.

Q; Do you smoke marijuana (wee)?

A: I tried it once

Q: At the Police headquarters did you see the police officers beat A2?

A: When we were taken to the headquarters we were beaten.

Would you have still gone ahead with your plans if you had not watched Lucky TV to see the demonstration by the woman?

A: It was through the program I watched that I conceived such idea.

Counsel for A2: That will be all for A1 by way of cross-examination

Questions from the fireman of Jury

Q: At the last adjourned date, which is yesterday (Wednesday), you mentioned in this Honourable Court that upon your return to Kasoa when you went to work with your father you met the 2nd accused who went to buy food. You added that you saw the 2nd accused with marijuana. Did you smoke it together?

A: Yes my Lady. That was my first time of smoking. I smoked with him.

Q; Would you like to share with this Honourable Court what your experience was like after smoking?

A: I was feeling dizzy.

Q; Will that be the feeling you had that brought the change of mind from kidnapping for a ransom to the killing?

A: I cannot tell.

Q: This woman you saw on the TV, did she ask for a live or dead human being?

A: She asked that we bring a human being. She did not specify whether the person should be alive or dead.

Q: So how did you arrive at killing him or why did you decide to kill him?

A: At first we decided to kidnap him but we did not succeed so on a second thought we decided to kill him and call the woman and inform her about it.

Foreman: My Lady that will be all for him

Questions from the Court

Judge: The woman whom you saw on Lucky TV asking you to bring human being and GH¢5,000.00 for more money, what did she say she does?

A: She said she was a fetish priestess

EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah reports that the 18-year-old young offender who had denied the charges all along would open his defense on January 22, 2022.