In a chilling revelation during the ongoing trial for the alleged ritual killing of an 11-year-old boy in Kasoa, Assistant Commissioner of Police and Pathologist, Dr. Osei Owusu-Afriyie, testified that the victim was buried alive.
The pathologist, the seventh prosecution witness in the case, shared details of the cause of death during his testimony led by Senior State Attorney Dorcas Felli.
Dr Owusu-Afriyie stated that the victim succumbed to a “severe head injury from blunt trauma” and died from “asphyxiation” (inability to breathe).
He further explained that when a person cannot breathe, the lungs become hyperinflated, leading to the body turning “blue” due to premature burial following blunt head injury.
The pathologist’s findings included a massive swollen area on the right side of the neck and head, fractures on the right side of the head, bleeding, and swelling over the right side of the brain.
This testimony aligns with a prior statement by Chief Inspector Isaac Asiedu Odei in October 2023, stating that the 10-year-old boy was also buried alive.
Two individuals, aged 15 and 18, are accused of conspiring and committing the murder. They have pleaded not guilty and are currently facing trial presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo.
During cross-examination, the defence counsel sought clarification on whether the victim was buried alive. Dr. Owusu-Afriyie responded, stating that the deceased was unconscious, which might be construed by a layperson as dead, emphasizing the severe head injury as the cause of unconsciousness.
The prosecution has closed its case following the pathologist’s testimony and cross-examination. The court found a prima facie case against the accused persons and called for their defence on the next adjourned date, scheduled for December 20, 2023.
The prosecution’s facts allege that the accused persons sought money rituals, known as “sakawa,” consulting a spiritualist who demanded GH¢5,000 and a human being for the rituals.
On April 3, 2021, the accused lured the deceased into an uncompleted building, where he was attacked and later buried with the intent to convey him to the spiritualist. The case continues to unfold as the court awaits the defence’s response.
