The High Court in Accra has reached a verdict in the case of the murder of former Law Lecturer of the University of Ghana, Prof Emmanuel Benneh. Ebenezer Kwayisi, also known as Junior, a trainee mason, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the crime.
Presided over by Justice Mary Yanzuh, the trial concluded with Kwayisi pleading guilty to abetment to murder under Section 239 of Act 30. The court ordered him to serve his sentence with hard labor.
Kwayisi’s sentencing follows a lengthy legal process that commenced in 2021 when he was committed to stand trial. Upon the Attorney General’s recommendation, he was charged with the murder of Prof Benneh, along with two other suspects.
The prime suspect, James Womba, died in Police custody in October 2020. The third suspect, Opambour Agya Badu Nkansah, was discharged after advice from the Attorney General indicated his innocence.
Prof. Benneh was found dead in a pool of blood on a corridor leading to his bedroom on September 12, 2020. He was bound with ropes, and a cloth was partially inserted into his mouth. Examination revealed multiple marks of assault on his face.
Evidence from a postmortem conducted on September 21, 2021, identified the cause of death as asphyxiation, strangulation, and suspected homicide.
While the sentencing of Ebenezer Kwayisi represents a significant step toward justice for Prof. Emmanuel Benneh, lingering questions persist regarding the circumstances of the murder and the involvement of other suspects, leaving the case with unresolved uncertainties.
