Three family members of a 15-year-old juvenile, who is charged with an 18-year-old young offender for allegedly conspiring and murdering a 10-year-old boy named Ishmael Mensah Abdallah, are set to testify for the prosecution.
The trial is set to be heard by a 7-member jury in the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo.
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On Tuesday, March 7, 2023, the prosecution requested the court to postpone the trial’s commencement to March 9 due to some challenges they faced with their first three witnesses, who are family members of the first accused.
The witnesses have relocated from Kasoa, and investigators are taking steps to trace them. The prosecution will instead call Frank Mensah as their first witness.
Justice Lydia Osei Marfo adjourned the case to March 9, 2023, after considering the prosecution’s request. The 15-year-old accused confessed to their involvement in the murder before the District Court, while the 18-year-old denied their involvement.
During their plea on charges of conspiracy and murder before the trial court, the 15-year-old pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy but not guilty to the charge of murder. The 18-year-old pleaded not guilty to both charges.
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Justice Osei Marfo’s court entered a plea of not guilty for the 15-year-old accused since the offense was a conspiracy to murder and had to be tried by a jury. The charges were read to them in their preferred local languages.
