A 61-year-old man who was arrested in 2011 for allegedly murdering his wife has been freed under the Justice For All programme.
Kwasi Ofori was granted his freedom after more than six years on remand at the Winneba Prisons without trial.
He was arrested at Gomoa Dawurampong in February 2011 and charged with murder before the Dawurampong District Magistrate Court after an argument between him and his wife turned bloody.
According to an affidavit in support of his release from prison, the applicant accepts the charge of murder but explained “he got into an argument with his wife. Tempers run high and she grabbed a cutlass. He took it from her. At the instance, young men run to where they were.
He was afraid and started to swing his cutlass and he struck his wife, killing her,” the affidavit said.
According to the man whose solemn oath led to the discharge of the suspect, Kwasi Ofori “appears genuinely remorseful as he wept while he told his sorry tale.”
The suspect has never been granted bail neither has he been prosecuted and found guilty. He has been in jail on remand for six years.
On Friday, three judges with the Justice for all programme visited the Winneba Prisons to deal with cases of persons on remand.
Some 18 people were granted bail with surety. Joy News’ Seth Kwame Boateng, whose documentary Locked and Forgotten triggered a return to the Justice For All programme reported that Kwasi Ofori was granted his freedom.
With his red attire and shorts and two bags, one strapped to his shoulder and the other held, Ofori walked out of the Prisons at Winneba for the first time in six years.
According to our reporter, the judges will now be heading to the Ankaful Prisons where a team of judges will also attend to remand prisoners.
The Justice For All programme was instituted in 2008 to give ear to suspects whose cases have been on remand for several years.
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