Kidnappers of Takoradi’s daughters stand trial on March 5

General news for Friday, February 5, 2021

Source: GNA

02/05/2021

The Sekondi High Court will deliver its judgment on March 5, 2021 in the trial of two men accused of kidnapping and murdering Priscilla Blessing Bentum and Ruth Abekah, in the metropolis of Sekondi Takoradi in 2018.

This follows the end of the presentation by defense attorneys for Samuel Udeotuk Wills and John Oji.

Previously, the prosecution filed its written addresses on Wednesday February 17, while on Wednesday March 3 there will be an oral hearing of the jury.

A forensic examination had previously confirmed the identity of the girls after police collected their remains from a septic tank near the accused’s residence.

During cross-examination of Ms Patience Klinogo, Chief State Prosecutor Oji, the second defendant, denied investigators’ statement that they had found a Facebook conversation between him and the first defendant, Wills.

He explained that the mobile phone he was using did not support social media applications.

Ms Klinogo said that Oji and Wills discussed the use of blood sacrifices for money in these conversations, but Oji disagreed with her.

She asked, “In one of those conversations the first defendant asked if you could kill someone for money and you said yes,” but John Oji replied, “I’m not ‘agreement”.

“Again, Udeotuk Wills asked you if cocaine could make a woman stupid and you said no, but he should use heroin instead,” Ms. Klinogo remarked to Oji, who, again, did not disagreed.

Madame Klinogo then asked, “Which of the four girls do you know?” and Oji said, “I didn’t know any.”

The prosecutor asked, “Do you know Priscilla Blessing Bentum?”, But he replied in the negative.

“I’m telling you you knew her, she was your girlfriend,” Madame Klinogo pointed out to him, but Oji replied, “I don’t even have a girlfriend in Nigeria. I don’t know any Priscilla ”.

The prosecutor told him: “On August 17, 2018, you personally abducted Priscilla Blessing Bentum and told the first accused about it?” but Oji said, “I don’t agree with that.”

“On July 29, 2018, you and the first defendant agreed to cause the death of Ruth Abekah,” she said, but Oji, once again, disagreed.

Oji and Wills were arrested by police following the disappearance of Ruth Love Quayson, 18, a graduate of Fijai SHS in Takoradi; Priscilla Blessing Bentum, 21, student at Winneba University of Education, residing in Kansaworodo, a suburb of Takoradi, and Priscilla Mantebea Korankye, 15, student at Sekondi SHS.

The disappearance of the girls drew national attention for months as security services conducted intensive investigations to find the girls and the perpetrators, while human rights activists joined anxious parents to pressure the government to get results.