I saw Kombian kill Agyare — Witness


A policeman yesterday told the Fast Track High Court hearing the case involving Johnson Kombian that he had seen the accused person shoot another policeman, Prince Agyare, to death.

When he appeared as a prosecution witness, Corporal Osei Bonsu said at that time he had also been shot, fallen close to a river near the scene of the incident and he could, therefore, see the accused and another accomplice as they shot Prince Agyare to death.

Corporal Osei Bonsu was one of the policemen who were allegedly ambushed and shot by Kombian on October 17, 2010 while they were on their way from duty at a barrier at Nankpanduri in the Bunkpurugu-Yooyo District in the Northern Region.

Prince Agyare, he said, had gone to the roadside to stop a vehicle to convey him (witness) and another colleague, Owusu Frimpong, both of whom had been shot, to hospital, but the vehicle passed without stopping. Ambush

Corporal Osei Bonsu said just when Agyare was returning to the spot where he and Owusu Frimpong were lying, Kombian and his accomplice appeared and shot Agyare to death.

Led in evidence by Mrs Marina Appiah Opare, a Principal State Attorney, Corporal Osei Bonsu said he, together with Prince Agyare and Owusu Frimpong, had been detailed at a barrier at Nankpanduri to ensure the safety of traders who crossed over into Togo to do business and who were often attacked by armed robbers.

He said about 5:30 p.m. on that day, the last vehicle that conveyed the traders and their wares had passed and they (policemen) had also closed for the day and mounted their individual motorbikes to return home. Gunshots

According to him, about 500 metres away from the barrier, they heard gunshots, following which he and Agyare noticed that their colleague, Owusu Frimpong, had been hit in the arm and ribs.

Corporal Osei Bonsu said he too was shot in the arm and that caused him to lose control of the motorbike, making him fall by the riverside, while the motorbike landed on him.

Initially, he said, he thought he had been shot in the left arm only, but when he attempted getting up, he realised that he had been shot in the right hip too and subsequently dragged himself to where Agyare, who had not been shot, was lying. Rescue vehicle

According to Corporal Osei Bonsu, Agyare told him that he had called one of their colleagues, Samuel Darko, and told him what had happened and that Darko had assured him that a vehicle was being sent to come for them.

He went on to say that when they heard the sound of an oncoming vehicle, Agyare got up and went to the roadside to stop the vehicle, but it did not stop but moved on.

Then, while Agyare was returning to where the rest were to await the police vehicle, Kombian, in the company of another, appeared and shot Agyare to death, he said.

Not long after, he recounted, the police vehicle came and conveyed them to hospital. The body of Agyare was deposited at the mortuary. 

Corporal Osei Bonsu said he was later transferred to the Tamale Hospital and later to Accra, where he later got to know that Owusu Frimpong had also died. Cross-examination

Corporal Osei Bonsu told the court, during cross-examination, that although he was in pain, he fought through it and witnessed every event of the incident in clear daylight.

That was after defence counsel, Mr George Asamani, had told him that in the state that he found himself, his paramount interest was survival and so he could not have properly seen the person who shot Agyare.

When asked what the other person who accompanied Kombian looked like, Corporal Osei Bonsu said that he could not remember.

Hearing has been adjourned to May 12, 2014.

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