The Magistrate hearing the murder case of a 46-year-old woman at the Cedar Crescent Hotel in Kumasi has cautioned state prosecutors investigating the matter to desist from engaging in ‘unnecessary delays’.
Prior to the hearing of the case on Thursday, the prosecutors had refused to appear in court for two consecutive times.
The magistrate presiding over the matter, Rosemarie Afua Asante expressed her dissatisfaction over how the prosecutors were handling the case.
Although the case was to be heard today, Thursday, March 5, 2020, the prosecutors as of 9:30 am were not in court.
After taking a 30-minute break, the prosecutors still failed to show up.
It was when the matter was called for the third time at about 11 am that the prosecutors showed up.
The Magistrate told the prosecutors to approach the matter with the seriousness it deserves since unnecessary delays could reduce the confidence people have in the court.
She stated that the matter is a human interest issue and has gained national attention and as such, it should be approached with the seriousness it deserves.
She asked the prosecutors to ensure that they appear in court at all times and also be present in court on time.
Some family members who spoke to Citi News after court proceedings said they were satisfied with how the magistrate has been handling the matter.
They, however, said they want the prosecutors to approach the matter with urgency.
“The Magistrate is doing a very good job. She is doing what is expected of her. However, with the way the prosecutors are handling the matter so far, we are not happy with it. This does not give us confidence that they will be doing a very good job because they have been absent on two different occasions and they are always late in court as well,” a family member said.
Murder
The deceased, Comfort Owusu Afriyie, was allegedly killed at the Cedar Crescent Hotel at Danyame in Kumasi at midnight of 1st January, 2020.
According to state prosecutors, their investigations have shown that the main suspect, Edwin Awuku went to the Cedar Crescent Hotel with Comfort Owusu Afriyie (the deceased) on 1st January, 2020 but killed her around midnight.
They further indicated in their statement that Edwin Awuku after engaging in the act, left the hotel to inform his wife, Belinda Awuku in the house and they went back to the hotel to report that they were attacked by some persons and Comfort died in the process.