Justice Served: Kasoa Murder Trial Sees Life Sentence for Nicholas Kini, Co-Accused Referred to Juvenile Court

The High Court has found two suspects guilty of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the 2021 killing of a 10-year-old boy, Ishmael Mensah, in Kasoa.

The verdict comes after three years of investigations and trial proceedings, marking the conclusion of a tragic crime that shook the nation.

The second accused, Nicholas Kini, who was 18 at the time of the incident, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the murder. Meanwhile, the first accused, who was 15 years old when the crime occurred, has been referred to the juvenile court for sentencing, as the High Court lacks jurisdiction over minors. Until then, the 15-year-old will remain in police custody.

According to investigators, the first accused admitted that the plot to kill the victim was influenced by a video from a spiritualist who promised wealth in exchange for GH¢5,000 and human blood. The first accused contacted Kini, and together they devised a plan to consult the fetish priest. The priest reportedly demanded the money and human blood as part of the ritual.

Initially, the pair planned to kidnap the boy and demand ransom from his parents. However, on the day of the incident, Ishmael was lured to an uncompleted building by the first accused under the pretense of playing a game. Once there, he was struck on the head with a stick and then with cement blocks, despite pleading for mercy. The pathologist’s report confirmed that Ishmael was buried alive, and the cause of death was suffocation.

The prosecution, led by Nana Adoma Osei, urged the jury to return a guilty verdict. On the other hand, the defense lawyers, Samuel Atuah and Lawrence Boampong (holding brief for Martin Kpebu), appealed for a not guilty verdict for their clients.

After the sentence was pronounced, Kini pleaded with the court, the family of the deceased, and even the ghost of the victim, saying, “Because he is the only person that can say the truth.”

Justice Marfo, before passing the sentence, cited former First Lady of the United States in a statement: “Nothing but parental neglect has brought us this far, and if we don’t take care, the very foundation of this nation would be destroyed.”

Ishmael Mensah, a pupil of Maranatha Preparatory School, was killed by his confidants in April 2021, lured to the building in their neighborhood where the heinous crime took place. The trial officially began in March 2023.