The High Court in Accra has sentenced Richard Appiah, a former footballer and draughtsman, to life imprisonment for the murder of two children in Abesim in the Bono Region.
The sentence follows a unanimous guilty verdict by a seven-member jury on two counts of murder. The victims, aged 12 and 15, were killed in 2021 in a case that shocked residents and drew national outrage.
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Appiah, who was 28 at the time of the crime, had been standing trial since 2022 before the court presided over by Justice Ruby Aryeetey.
The horrifying case came to light in August 2021, when police in Abesim, near Sunyani, arrested Appiah following the discovery of two bodies in his residence.
Investigators found some body parts stored in a refrigerator inside his living quarters, triggering widespread public outrage and condemnation across the country.
Police reports identified the victims as Louis Agyemang (12), believed to be Appiah’s stepbrother, and Stephen Sarpong (15), the son of a family friend.
At the time of his arrest, several media outlets described Appiah as a footballer, sports commentator, and architect. However, the Ghana Institute of Architects later clarified that he was not a registered architect.
During his time in police custody, Appiah reportedly made unusual food demands and displayed strange behaviour, raising concerns among investigators.
These developments prompted the police to request a psychiatric evaluation as part of the ongoing investigations.
The trial faced multiple setbacks, including adjournments caused by the absence of jurors and other procedural issues.
Despite these delays, prosecutors presented evidence linking Appiah directly to the killings. After months of hearings and testimonies, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on two counts of murder.
In sentencing, the court imposed life imprisonment, citing the extreme brutality of the crimes and the need for justice for the victims and their families.
Presiding judge Justice Ruby Aryeetey stressed that the ruling reflected the seriousness of the offence and the court’s commitment to upholding the rule of law.