Accused persons in GPHA Marketing Manager’s death discharged for lack of evidence

Mrs Josephine Tandoh Asante was the Marketing and Public Relations Manager of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) at the the Tema Port, when she was stabbed to death at dawn at the age of 49, at her Emefs Estate home on the Accra-Akosombo highway at dawn on January 13, 2019.

She had returned from an end of year dinner organised by the GPHA at Community Six in Tema when she was attacked in her home and killed.

Some suspects were picked up and charged in court for murder but after six years, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, has directed that the accused persons should be discharged.

The A-G is discontinuing the case and this has displeased the family of the deceased person reports Benjamin Xornam Glover from Tema. 

The Attorney General (AG) has ordered the discharge of the suspects in the murder case of the late Josephine Asante Tandoh, a former Marketing and Public Affairs Manager of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA). 

The decision followed a review of the evidence and legal arguments, leading to the conclusion that there was no material evidence linking the accused persons to the crime. 

The four accused persons, namely Richard Kwabena Kwakye, a.k.a. Kwabena Boateng,  Dominic Owusu,  Christian Adjei and Frederick Owusu Oppong, aka Kojo Owusu have subsequently been discharged by the District Magistrate Court in Tema presided over by Benedicta Antwi. They were discharged on  Monday July 21, 2025. 

When the case was called, the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector it Hilda Sarkodie informed the court that the Attorney General’s office, which had been studying the docket, had posited that the accused persons should be discharged due to lack of material evidence linking them to the crime.

Reading out portions of the advice in open court, it said the AG office believed that mere suspicion was not enough to sustain a criminal charge, especially for a serious offense like murder.

“I am of the opinion that suspects have been rounded up based on suspicions and not material evidence, linking them to the offence. Charging them with the serious offence like murder based on suspicion alone is not appropriate since mere suspicion is not enough to sustain a criminal offence. Nobody actually witnessed the offence being committed. There are too many doubts regarding who actually murdered the deceased. Based on the insufficient evidence on the docket, the suspects cannot be charged with the offence. You are to discharge them,” the advisory from the AG’s office was signed by a Principal State Attorney, Joshua Sackey.

Based on this advice, the prosecution withdrew the charges against the suspects. 

The court after hearing the prayer proceeded to discharge the suspects. 

Reaction 
The family of the deceased in a interview, expressed outrage and disappointment over the handling of the case. 

The widower, Franklin Kwame Asante said despite a confession and video evidence, procured by the police, the AG’s office claimed the evidence was  insufficient hence was closing the case. 

He questioned the justice system, stressing that human life was not valued in this country. 

“The suspects were videotaped, they confessed to the killing and  somebody at the AGs office, says that there’s no evidence? How do you sum it up? So the confession that he gave details of the murder doesn’t matter? 

“This country is a dangerous place to live in. It is a very dangerous place because people don’t value the lives of human beings” he said 

A brother of the deceased, Robert Asante said the family was determined to review the case as such they would seek legal advice hoping to get  justice

” We, the family, will go back and review this, but as he said, if you say insufficient evidence and it’s taking us five years for you to realize insufficient evidence, there is  a question mark on everything about this murder.” He said

“We have requested for the court records and also the AG’s advice. We will go back and see what options we have and then we will follow those options to its end.” He added 

“That is the only way now that is left to us. The AG  did not advise that they continue with investigations, which means that they are going to close this file, chuck it in the bin, and that is ‘s the end of Josephine Asante Tandoh. We will not take that.’ 

Background

Mrs  Asante Yandoh  was found dead on January 13, 2019 at her residence at EMEFS Estates near Afienya in the Greater Accra Region.

She was said to have been attacked in her bedroom after returning from a staff party.

According to initial police report, she was locked inside her room after the alleged murder incident.

The body was discovered the following morning after occupants of the house found the keys to her bedroom on the compound.

The assailant(s) did not take anything away.
End 
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Highlight 
The Attorney General’s office argued that the suspects should be discharged due to lack of material evidence linking them to the crime.