After more than six years of investigation and legal proceedings, the Tema TDC District Court has discharged four suspects previously accused of involvement in the 2019 murder of Mrs. Josephine Asante, a top executive of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).
Presided over by Her Worship Benedicta Antwi, the court on Monday, July 21, 2025, officially released the suspects following the advice of the Attorney General’s Office, which cited insufficient evidence to sustain charges against the individuals.
Those discharged include Richard Kwabena Kwakye, also known as Kwabena Boateng; Dominic Owusu; Christian Adjei; and Frederick Owusu Oppong, alias Kojo Owusu.
AG Advice Cites Lack of Evidence
The lead prosecutor, Chief Inspector Hilda Sarkodie, told the court that the Attorney General’s office had thoroughly reviewed the case docket and found no material evidence directly linking the accused persons to the murder of Mrs. Asante.
The decision was based on a legal opinion authored by Principal State Attorney, Joshua Sackey.
Reading from the AG’s written advice, the prosecution stated:
“The suspects were arrested largely on suspicion. Charging them with a capital offence such as murder without solid, corroborated evidence is unjustified.
Suspicion alone, especially in the absence of eyewitnesses or clear forensic linkage, cannot sustain a criminal charge. There are far too many doubts surrounding who actually committed the offence.”
Following the prosecution’s submission, the court officially withdrew the charges and discharged the accused.
Family Furious Over AG Decision
The court’s decision sparked outrage among the family of the deceased, who say they are devastated by what they view as the justice system’s failure to secure accountability in the high-profile murder.
Franklin Kwame Asante, the widower of the late GPHA executive, expressed disbelief over the AG’s position. According to him, the police had presented both a confession and video evidence during the course of the investigation.
“So you’re telling us a confession on video means nothing? A suspect detailed how the murder was carried out, yet we’re being told there is no evidence?” he asked, visibly distressed.
A brother of the deceased, Robert Asante, also raised serious concerns about the outcome, questioning the handling and timeline of the investigation.
“How does it take six years to determine that there’s insufficient evidence? What were they investigating all this while?” he asked.
“We are requesting all court records and the Attorney General’s advice. The family will consult our lawyers and pursue every possible legal option.”
Robert added that the AG’s silence on the continuation of the investigation suggests the case file may be closed permanently, a possibility the family firmly rejects.
“If the AG’s office has no interest in further investigations, then this is how Josephine Asante’s case ends? We won’t accept that,” he declared.
Background to the Case
Mrs. Josephine Asante, 49, was the Marketing and Public Affairs Manager at Tema Port when she was brutally murdered at her home in Emefs Hillview Estate, near Afienya, in the early hours of Sunday, January 13, 2019. She had returned home after attending a staff dinner organized by GPHA in Tema the previous evening.
Her body was discovered in her locked bedroom the next morning. A set of keys believed to be hers was reportedly found on the compound, prompting occupants to force their way into the room, where they found her lifeless body. The attackers did not steal any belongings, suggesting a possible targeted killing.
Initial investigations led to the arrest of her houseboy, Christian Agyei, by officers at the local Emefs Police Station. Within 48 hours, the Tema Regional Criminal Investigation Department (CID) took over the case and arrested her driver, Amos Apeku.
Preliminary reports suggested that biological traces believed to be semen had been found at the scene. However, the Police Public Affairs Directorate later dismissed those claims, citing inconsistencies.
In late 2021, the Police Administration established a Cold Case Unit (CCU) to re-investigate unresolved murders, including the cases of Mrs. Asante and investigative journalist Ahmed Suale.
This led to the re-arrest of Christian Agyei and Amos Apeku in January 2023 after they were previously discharged by the same court based on an earlier AG opinion.
Between March and April 2023, additional arrests were made, including that of Kwabena Kwakye, Dominic Owusu, and Frederick Oppong.
These suspects were eventually arraigned before court and held in custody for further investigations—only to be discharged this week following the AG’s final legal review.
The discontinuation of the case leaves the brutal murder of Josephine Asante officially unresolved.