The Juvenile court has set Tuesday, January 21 to sentence the convicted minor involved in the killing of 10-year-old Ishmael Mensah Abdullah for ritual money in 2021 at Kasoa in the Central Region.
Two teenagers were convicted of the murder, following a unanimous guilty verdict by a seven-member jury in October last year. The boys were found guilty on two counts of conspiracy to commit murder and murder. The second convict, Nicholas Kini, now 21 was sentenced to life imprisonment and has subsequently begun his sentence.
The High Court presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo during her judgement on October 24, 2024, chastised parents of the teenagers for failing their wards leading to the commission of the crime.
She deferred the sentencing of the 15-year-old convict to the juvenile court per Section 18(1), Juvenile Justice Act 2003 Act (ACT 653).
It states that where a juvenile appears before a court of summary jurisdiction other than a juvenile court on a charge made jointly against the juvenile and a person who has attained the age of 18- years, the court shall remit the case to the juvenile court for sentence.
In court on Thursday, January 16, presiding magistrate, Bernice Mensima Ackon adjourned to January 21 for sentencing after reading the Social Inquiry Report on the convict to the parties before the court
Counsel for the juvenile prayed for mitigation indicating the juvenile has shown remorse and that he together with his family helped prosecution prove its case by providing all the necessary information.
The 15-year-old juvenile from the beginning of the trial admitted committing the crime both at the District and High Courts. He, therefore, pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit murder.
However, as required by law in murder cases, even though the juvenile pleaded guilty, the court recorded a NOT Guilty plea.
Nicholas who has been convicted, on the other hand, maintained his innocence, insisting he had nothing to do with the murder and hence denied the offence both at the District Court and pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to murder and a substantive charge of murder at the High Court
Source:Fiilafmonline/3News
