Sam Udeotuk Wills, the first accused in the ongoing murdered Takoradi kidnapped girls case, admitted before a Sekondi High Court today, February 1, 2021, that he knew two of the four murdered kidnapped girls.
Sam Wills, who is accused of murder conspiracy with his Nigerian counterpart, John Orji, stated this when he formally opened his defence at the Sekondi High Court, which is presided over by a Court of Appeal Judge, Justice Richard Adjei-Frimpong.
When asked if he knew the four kidnapped girls who were murdered, Sam Udeotuk Wills told the court that he knew Priscilla Blessing Bentum and Priscilla Mantebia Kurankyi as casual friends but never conspired to kidnap and murder them.
“I recognised the two Priscillas. In 2017, I met Priscilla Blessing Bentum at Effiakuma Methodist Church, and our friendship was casual. In 2018, I met Priscilla Mantebia Kurankyi at a Waakye joint near the phastor block yard. Our friendship was also unofficial.”
Wills, on the other hand, denied the charge and explained how he found out about the kidnappings.
“I never planned to kidnap and murder them with Orji.” I never kidnapped and murdered anyone, because two of these young ladies are very close to me. When I was in Koforidua, I heard about the kidnapping from my girlfriend, Emily Alimo. I don’t recall the date, but it was around 10 a.m. Emily called and asked me to meet her at her sister’s house in Koforidua. She told me that Priscilla Bentum’s sister called and said I had kidnapped her, which surprised me.
I denied and told her to tell the family to call me or meet me in Takoradi the next day at the house where I stayed.
They never responded to me again. Like the other two, I learned about Priscilla Kurankyi’s kidnapping in a police cell. When I arrived in Takoradi, I called Emily to let her know I was there, but I was arrested along with my friends Abachure and Papa on December 23, 2018, after not hearing from the family.”
“It was around 5 a.m. when I heard shouts of ‘don’t move, don’t move, we’re the cops.’ We’ll shoot you if you move.’ After arresting me, the police took my black bag, which contained $3,400, some cedis, and two mobile phones. My friends were released on bail the next day, and I haven’t heard from them since.”
Sam Wills denied having called the kidnapped girls and their families when the State Attorney, Patience Klinogo, inquired about the itemised bill with his mobile phone numbers, registered with fake names.
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“The MTN number is mine, but the Tigo line is my lost number, and the following number is not mine, so I’m surprised my girlfriend said it was mine.” I’m not aware of any ransom payments made to my Tigo number. The chip sellers registered the numbers that belong to me after I told them I didn’t have ID cards. As a result, they were not registered in my name. “I refute the allegation that I registered them under false names,” he said in court.
Wills also denied discussing kidnapping and blood money on Facebook with some of his friends, which investigators presented to the court as evidence.
“Samuel Wills is not my Facebook name, but King Samuel, so those conversations are not mine.”
Sam Wills appeared in Sekondi High Court today, Monday, in a sleeveless T-shirt, a boxer shot, and chains, despite fierce opposition to being taken to court.
This forced the prisons and police team to first bring in the second accused, John Orji, before bringing him to court forcibly.
Following a request from his counsel, the Presiding Court of Appeal Judge, Justice Richard Adjei-Frimpong, had to delay his opening of defence by one hour.
“I don’t see why I have to go to court,” Wills told the prison wardens and detectives who had come to pick him up from Sekondi Central Prisons.
Justice Richard Adjei-Frimpong rejected a no-case submission by the second accused, John Orji, against a charge of conspiracy to commit murder in the ongoing Takoradi kidnapped girl’s murder case.
After the State Attorney, Patience Klinogo, finished her submission of case, the lawyer for the second accused, Mark Bosia, made the submission of no-case at the last sitting of the court.
The Sekondi High Court has continued the cross-examination of the first accused until tomorrow, February 2, 2021.
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