COURT REMANDS SOLDIER ON MURDER CHARGE (Back Page)

Story: Zakaria Alhassan, Tamale

THE Tamale District Court, presided over by Madam Vivian Lariba Yamusah, on Monday remanded Corporal Benjamin Mensah, alias Kwadwo Kwakye, in prison custody for allegedly shooting and killing his colleague, Sergeant Stanley Afriyie, at the Kamina Barracks in Tamale.
He is facing three counts of murder and attempts to murder the deceased's wife, Monica Akua Afriyie, and his 15-year-old daughter, Hannah Afriyie. He is to reappear on December 17, 2007.
The suspect, who spotted a red eye, looked unruffled when he was ushered into the dock.
Narrating the facts of the case, the prosecutor, Inspector Ahiabor, said the late Sergeant Afriyie borrowed ¢2.5 million from the suspect early this year.
He said in spite of several demands for the repayment of the money, the deceased allegedly refused to pay back.
Mr Ahiabor said the suspect later demanded an interest of ¢3 million on the money, which the deceased could not honour, leading to an argument between the two.
Later, Sergeant Afriyie left for peacekeeping operations in Lebanon and, upon his return in November, he was still unable to settle the debt.
When he requested for permission from his superiors to travel to Accra for some money to honour the debt, it was granted.
However, before Sergeant Afriyie could embark on the journey, the suspect, who was wielding a G-3 rifle, forced his way into the deceased’s living room where he was watching television with his family. That was at 8.00 p.m. on November 27, 2007.
When the suspect demanded his money, the deceased pleaded with him for more time and later expressed his preparedness to mortgage his 14-inch colour television to the former, who did not take kindly to it.
According to the prosecutor, the suspect then fired at the deceased in the chest and arm and he died on the spot. He also fired at the arm and leg of the deceased's wife and on his daughter's back, after which he fled the scene.
Corporal Mensah was, however, apprehended at a nearby village and handed over to the Military Command at the 6th Infantry Battalion.
The victims were later rushed to the Tamale Regional Hospital where they were airlifted to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra for treatment the following day. The body of the deceased has been deposited at the Military Hospital awaiting autopsy.