Kwabena Ankemah, a thirty-nine-year-old machine operator, has been remanded into prison custody by the Tarkwa Circuit court for allegedly issuing a voice note threatening to kill the Divisional Chief of Himan Traditional Council.
Ankemah, who pleaded not guilty to the charge of the threat of death, is scheduled to re-appear before the court on May 4, 2023.
According to Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie, who prosecuted the case, the complainant, Nana Nteboah Prah IV, is the Divisional Chief of Himan Traditional Council, while the accused is a staff of Sankofa Mining Company.
Both reside at Himan-Prestea in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality of the Western Region.
On March 28, 2023, at about 16:19 hours, the complainant received a voice note on his mobile phone through WhatsApp from the accused person threatening to behead him with a cutlass anywhere he met him.
Ankemah reiterated in the audio that he meant every word and would not relent on his intended actions. He stressed that he was not scared of being arrested by the police and that anyone who cared could inform the complainant about his intentions.
After listening to the audio, the complainant became alarmed and reported the case to the police in Prestea on March 30, 2023, for investigation. Ankemah was arrested on the same day for questioning, and a search conducted in his room led to the recovery of a brand-new hammer and a chisel.
The audio recording has also been transcribed into a USB flash drive to serve as evidence in the case, according to the prosecution.
The accused person, in his initial caution statement, denied any knowledge of the audio, but later confessed before an independent witness that he did the recording at a drinking spot in Ankobra, a suburb of Prestea.
During the court proceedings, the accused person was remanded into prison custody by Madam Hathie Ama Manu, the presiding judge of the Tarkwa circuit court.
The police have advised the public to desist from making threats to people or institutions, as such acts are criminal and could result in prosecution.
