The High Court of Ghana in Accra has sentenced Richard Appiah to life imprisonment after a seven-member jury unanimously found him guilty on two counts of murder in the 2021 killing of two teenagers in Abesim, Bono Region.
Appiah, a footballer and draughtsman, was convicted for the deaths of 12-year-old Louis Agyemang and 15-year-old Stephen Sarpong, whose killings shocked the nation. The trial, which began in 2022, was presided over by Justice Ruby Aryeetey.
The case came to light in August 2021 when police in Abesim, near Sunyani, discovered the boys’ bodies in Appiah’s residence. Some body parts were reportedly found in a refrigerator, triggering widespread outrage and condemnation.
During investigations, authorities sought a psychiatric evaluation after reports of unusual behaviour by the accused while in custody. The trial faced several procedural delays, including adjournments due to the absence of jurors, but prosecutors ultimately presented evidence linking Appiah to the crimes.
Following the unanimous guilty verdict, the court imposed a life sentence, underscoring the gravity of the offence and bringing closure to a case that had drawn intense public attention over the past four years.