Vincent Kunu, a farmer, has been accused of attempting to murder an 82-year-old farmer, Mr Francis Atepreh, over a land dispute at Adaklu Anfoe, Volta Region.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge of attempted murder, billed to reappear on May 5, this year.
Prosecuting, Assistant State Attorney Maame A.A. Sessah, narrated to the Ho High Court Two, presided over by Justice Rose-Marie A. Asante, that on September 24, 2024, Mr Dela Adjasu, the complainant and victim’s brother-in-law, accompanied by one other person, reported an incident at a farm in Amedzekpo, near Adaklu Anfoe, to the Police, alleging an attempted murder by the accused.
According to the complainant, he responded to his wife, Madam Lydia Dartey’s cry for help while she was spraying her farm nearby and found the victim on the ground with gunshot wounds and bleeding heavily.
With assistance from some neighbours, the victim was transported to Anfoe Health Centre and then referred to Ho Teaching Hospital for medical attention.
The prosecution said Madam Dartey stated that the victim identified the accused as the shooter and that the victim, while at the hospital, indicated that the accused, Kunu, was responsible for his death should he succumb to his injuries.
The victim said Kunu emerged from the bush and shot him from behind, causing him to fall, but he rose up and saw the accused departing the scene, asserting that he recognised the accused as the perpetrator and there was no mistaken identity.
Investigations revealed that there was an ongoing land dispute between the accused and the victim’s family, which had led to previous threats made by the accused towards the victim’s sister, Madam Dartey, on the farm.
The court heard that following his arrest, the accused was taken to the scene of the crime with the complainant and witnesses, who identified the bush and the victim’s palm plantation as the location of the incident.
The accused denied the offence, but witnesses stated that he was wearing a white-striped long-sleeved shirt, tattered trousers, and lorry tyre sandals, and carried a single-barrelled gun. The shirt and farm bag were recovered from his room and kitchen and were kept as evidence.
The medical report confirmed that the victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds on the left posterior chest wall and both upper arms.
Justice Asante warned the jury empanelled for the trial to avoid actions that could compromise their impartiality or introduce outside information into the case.
While the prosecution urged the jurors to consider the available evidence and medical report in making their determination, Mr Raymond Akpatsa, Counsel for the accused, asked them to be open-minded and question every piece of evidence.
The case returns to court on May 05, 06, and 07, 2026.
GNA