Four suspects accused of kidnapping the two Canadian girls have been sentenced to 40 years in prison.
The four, Abdul Nasir, Seidu Abubakari aka NBA, Safianu Abubakari, and Abdul Rahman Suleiman aka Worfa who were charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping were convicted by an Accra High Court and sentenced to 10 years each with hard labour.
The court presided over by Judge Lydia Osei Marfo noted that the Prosecution’s witnesses, testimonies by the victims as well as evidence provided proved beyond reasonable doubt the accused persons were guilty.
She said « We cannot allow such nation wreckers to destroy international relations. Nothing done to them by way of punishment compares to the emotional stress family of the accused were put in. »
The court noted that the victims suffered indecent and sexual assault.
Justice Osei Marfo said a confession from one of the accused was obtained after another had outrightly denied guilt. This was after several pieces of evidence had been presented and sentenced quartet to 9 years of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and 10 years of kidnapping with hard labour.
Background
In 2019, the managers of Canada’s diplomatic and consular relations, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) confirmed that two Canadians have been kidnapped in Ghana.
The victims, Lauren Patricia Catherine Tilley, 19, and Bailey Jordan Chitty, 20, students at the Kumasi Technical University were abducted on June 4, 2019, in Kumasi while returning to their hostel from a programme.
The managers of Canada’s diplomatic and consular relations did not provide details about the number of people abducted, citing security concerns.
Reports indicated that the two abducted were students at the Kumasi Technical University.
Pulse
