ghanamma.com

ROMEO CATHOLIC Priest Rev. Father Charles Asamoah, who has been accused of hacking his lover girl over a trivial disagreement, was remanded in prison after making his second appearance in court yesterday.
He is said to have inflicted multiple knife wounds on 42-year-old Janet Dwamena Agyapomaa, aka Yaa Kwahu, after their secret amorous affair turned sour, and now faces the charge of attempted murder, contrary to section 48 of the Criminal Offences Act 29/60.
The new charge, which is a first degree felony, according to the Criminal Offences Act of Ghana, has been added to two earlier counts of unlawful harm and threat of death, contrary to sections 69 and 75 of Act 29/60 respectively.
An Obuasi Circuit Court, presided over by Gilbert Ayisi Addo, rejected the accused person’s plea for bail, which was made on his behalf by Franklin Asamoah, his counsel. Father Asamoah is to re-appear on July 21.
The court’s public gallery was filled with jeers as the judge read out his ruling on the bail, indicating that application for bail was pre-mature. This was after prosecutor, ASP Seth Sewornu, argued and prayed for Father Charles Asamoah’s remand.
The Obuasi Cathedral Administrator, Rev. Fr. Nyarko, and other priests, as well as some church members, were there to give Father Asamoah morale support.
Father Asamoah hid his face from the cameras by bowing his head till he was whisked into prison.
At his first appearance, the priest told the court he acted in self-defence and intentionally caused harm to his lover when a fight ensued between him and the victim.
On April 20 this year, Yaa Kwahu, the victim, who lives at Obuasi Pomposo, was rushed to AngloGold Ashanti Hospital (AGA) in Obuasi from St. Louis Health Centre in Bodwesango in the Adansi North District, after she was allegedly attacked by the accused with a knife and blunt objects, including a mallet and club.
According to Dr. James Asenso-Barnie’s report, the victim, who was bleeding profusely from the scalp, as a result of the assault, had sustained 10 lacerations on the head with a punctured wound on the forehead and bruises all over her body, when she was brought to the hospital.
Police prosecutor ASP Seth Sewornu told the court that the victim is an operator of a drinking bar while the accused is a Catholic Priest at Bodwesango.
According to him, the two were in a sexual relationship for about two months when on April 20, 2010, Yaa Kwahu asked a witness in the case to accompany her to the lover priest (Father Asamoah).
He stated that the victim and the witness passed the night in the accused person’s house. The two love birds slept in one room as the witness was given another.
Prosecution indicated that the witness left the house the following day, “leaving the two lovers to enjoy their uninterrupted sanctimonious honeymoon.”
ASP Sewornu added that the honeymoon later turned sour and both parties agreed to end the relationship with GH¢500 as agreed compensation to the victim, which the accused duly paid.
According to the prosecutor, soon after the compensation was paid, a misunderstanding ensued between them leading to physical exchanges.
Father Charles then used a mallet and a knife to inflict multiple and serious injuries all over the victim’s body, especially on her head.
Prosecution narrated that the accused at a point asked a witness if the victim was dead. Yaa Kwahu, who was then in a pool of blood, however overheard the accused.
Alarmed, she gathered some strength, got up and run for cover by scaling a wall, but the accused chased and caught up with her, after which he hit her with a stick from all angles, amidst threats to kill her for hinting that she would expose his amorous life to authorities.
ASP Sewornu intimated that the accused, in the process, collected the GH¢500 as well as the victim’s mobile phone.
ASP Sewornu indicated that the action of the accused person was carefully planned and executed to ultimately end the life of the victim at all cost without mercy.
Yaa kwahu, prosecution said, was rescued by a Good Samaritan, who intervened and rushed her to St. Louis Health Centre at Bodwesango. St. Louis Health Centre later referred her to AGA hospital, where she spent over one month on admission.
Father Charles Asamoah, who was later arrested, admitted the offences in his caution statement to the police. He was charged and arraigned after police investigations.