Businessman Daniel Obikyere Akaffo has been charged with causing the death of Godfred Agbovie, through unlawful harm. A Pathologist’s examination confirmed that Agbovie died from shotgun injuries to the head and chest.
Akaffo was put before the Criminal Division of the High Court, Accra, presided over by Justice Mary Yanzo yesterday, on the charge of murder.
He pleaded not guilty and was remanded into lawful custody to reappear today, February 4, 2025.
Background of the Case
The complainant, Martin Teye Agbovie, son of the deceased, resides at Ada, while his late father, Godfred Agbovie, lived at Ayisah, Ada.
The accused, Daniel Akaffo, owns Montil Carlos Guest House at Sege and resides at Baatsona, Spintex, Accra.
In June 2016, months before his death, Godfred Agbovie filed a complaint with the Sege Police against Nene Agbewornu for selling his family farmland to Akaffo. However, the dispute remained unresolved at the time of his death.
Agbovie primarily used an MTN phone number (0543541090), registered under Agbovie Felix B.
About a week before November 29, 2016 he was contacted by a caller using a Tigo number (0577942212).
The caller, posing as a contractor, claimed to have obtained Agbovie’s contact from Daniel Norgbordzi, a known acquaintance of Agbovie’s family.
He expressed interest in purchasing pigs and gravel for a road construction project.
On November 29, 2016 the contractor arranged for Agbovie to meet his brother at Aveyime, promising to take him to the final buyer.
Agbovie left home but never returned.
Discovery of the Body
On January 30, 2017 Agbovie’s skeletal remains were discovered in a gravel site at Ameyaokope forest, near Sege. His clothes, mobile phone, a coin, handkerchief and footwear were found beside the body. Additionally, two spent BB cartridges were found nearby.
Police Investigations
Call records from MTN Ghana revealed that the Tigo number (0577942212) had been used to contact Agbovie on the morning of his disappearance.
The SIM card was registered under Philippa Antwi, using a voter ID (37414341), which was later found to be non-existent in the Electoral Commission’s database.
The same Tigo number had also contacted two individuals: Diana Ametepe (0548064012) and Mary Dorku (0575040073). Upon investigation, both identified the number as belonging to Randy Sampson Deku.
Confession and Arrests
Deku admitted that Daniel Akaffo had given him the Tigo SIM card on November 28, 2016, instructing him to call a pig and gravel seller on November 29, 2016.
On the day of the incident, Deku went to Akaffo’s hotel in Sege, where he met Akaffo and a taxi driver, Duncan (PW7), whom Akaffo had brought from Accra.
Akaffo handed Deku GH¢400 as part payment for the pigs and directed him to pick up Agbovie from Aveyime.
As they were about to leave, Akaffo joined them in the taxi, carrying a pump-action gun and alighted at a forest reserve between Sege and Aveyime.
At Aveyime roundabout, Deku met Agbovie, whom he recognised. He asked him to join Duncan’s taxi and left him in the driver’s care along with the GH¢400.
When Duncan was arrested, he confirmed Deku’s account. He recalled seeing Akaffo at the location where he had earlier alighted, but without his gun.
Duncan stated that after greeting Agbovie, Akaffo led him into the bush, instructing him to wait. Akaffo later reappeared with his gun but without Agbovie. When Duncan inquired about Agbovie’s whereabouts, Akaffo reportedly told him to “forget about the man.”
Ballistics Evidence and Arrest of Akaffo
Deku led the police to Akaffo’s residence in Spintex, where officers retrieved his pump-action gun and cartridges. A ballistic report confirmed that the two spent BB cartridges found near Agbovie’s remains had been fired from Akaffo’s firearm.
With this evidence, Daniel ObikyereAkaffo was charged with causing Agbovie’s death through unlawful harm. A seven member jury will be constituted to determine whether Akaffo was guilty or not.
