February 25, 2026 l By Dalena Reporters
Accra, Ghana — In a landmark ruling that has gripped national attention, the Criminal Court 1 of the High Court in Accra sentenced a former Ghanaian footballer, Richard Appiah, to life imprisonment for the 2021 murders of two children in Abesim, located in the Bono Region.
The sentence, handed down on February 24, 2026, followed a unanimous verdict from a seven-member jury that found Appiah guilty on two counts of murder. The victims, aged 12 and 15 at the time of their deaths, were killed in August 2021, and their bodies were later discovered concealed in different parts of Appiah’s residence one found in a refrigerator and the other in a locked room.
Court Proceedings and Verdict
The trial, which began in 2024, was presided over by Justice Ruby Aryeetey. Prosecutors presented a case that emphasized compelling forensic and eyewitness evidence linking Appiah to the killings. The prosecution argued that Appiah acted with clear intent, demonstrating knowledge and awareness of his actions by disposing of evidence and attempting to hide the victims’ remains.
Appiah’s defence counsel, however, entered a plea of insanity, asserting that the accused was suffering from schizophrenia at the time of the murders and was incapable of understanding the nature or consequences of his actions. The defence cited erratic behaviour and mental health challenges leading up to the killings.
Despite these arguments, the jury rejected the defence’s claims, concluding that Appiah was legally responsible for the deaths. The court articulated that every element required to establish the offence of murder namely the unlawful act, the resultant deaths, and the accused’s intent had been successfully proved beyond reasonable doubt.
Crime Details and Investigation
According to investigative reports, police were alerted on August 20, 2021, after suspicious activity at Appiah’s home. Upon investigation, authorities discovered one of the victims’ remains in a domestic refrigerator, prompting a wider forensic probe. Additional evidence, including bloodstained weapons and body parts believed to belong to the other child, were uncovered in separate areas of the property and a nearby cocoa farm.
The brutal nature of the crimes and the defendant’s efforts to conceal evidence drew widespread condemnation both locally and internationally, intensifying public scrutiny and calls for justice.
In the aftermath of the ruling, the father of the victims expressed a measure of relief that the legal process reached a definitive conclusion, thanking law enforcement and the Attorney General’s office for their role in securing the conviction.
Conversely, Appiah’s defence team signalled intentions to appeal the decision, emphasising ongoing concerns about the mental health aspects of the case and the fairness of the trial court’s interpretation of psychiatric evidence.
The verdict has reignited national debate surrounding violent crime and mental health considerations within Ghana’s legal framework. Legal analysts note that the case underscores the judiciary’s firm stance on heinous crimes involving minors, while also spotlighting the complex interplay between psychiatric defence claims and criminal responsibility standards.
As the appeal process unfolds, many Ghanaians are watching closely, underscoring deep societal concerns over child protection, criminal justice, and mental health systems. The case is likely to shape future jurisprudence and legislative discussions around violent crime and mental health defences in Ghana’s courts.