The police officer suspected of shooting and killing a driver at Kuntunse Satellite, near Amasaman in Accra, over a transit fare has been remanded into lawful custody by a Kaneshie District Court.
On his first court appearance, General Constable Smith Gyekyi, who is accused of murder, was not represented by counsel.
The 25-year-old police officer from the Ghana Police Service’s International Relations Unit did not enter a plea before the court, which was presided over by Ms. Ama Adomako Kwakye, pending additional investigation into the case.
Since investigations are still underway, the prosecution—led by Chief Inspector Apewah Achana—asked the court to remand Gyekyi.
The case will now take place on September 9, 2024.
According to the evidence presented in court, on Sunday, August 18, 2024, at approximately 0400 hours, the police control room notified the authorities of a male adult who had been shot and killed at the frontage of Koans Estate in Satellite Kuntunse, close to Amasaman.
The prosecution claims that when the Night Monitoring Officer, Inspector Leticia Asiedu, Assistant Superintendent of Police Agnes Aboagye, Adjen Kotoku Crime Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police Adamu Muniru, and case investigator Inspector Leticia Asiedu arrived at the scene, they found a deceased adult male named Stanley Ahadzi, 25, lying down in a supine position with blood seeping from his head.
The court was informed that at approximately 0300 hours on the same day, Gyekyi, driving his private vehicle with license plate GW 5459-21 for business purposes, picked up Esther Owusua from Ablekuma Joma and drove her to Koans Estate Kuntunse Satellite.
The prosecution informed the court that Owusua, a case witness, became confused on their way and got in touch with Ahadzi, who has now passed away, who agreed to meet them at the Koans Estate gate.
Ahazdi and Gyekyi got into an argument over the fare as he got to the Koans Estate gate.
“In the course of the argument, Gyekyi got annoyed and pulled his sidearm, gave a warning shot and later shot Ahadzi to death,” the prosecution told the court.
Gyekyi was later taken into custody after reporting himself to the Amasaman Divisional Police.
Gyekyi acknowledged the crime to the court once it was investigated.