Ghana: Court remands UK alleged murder suspect

An Accra Magistrate court has remanded into Police custody the British national Arthur Simpson-Kent who allegedly murdered his girlfriend, two children and fled to Ghana.

The court presided over by Justice Rosemond Agyirie, however, instructed the BNI in whose custody the suspect is being held, to allow him unlimited and reasonable access to his lawyers.

His lawyer, Justice K. Srem-Sai, argued that the state had erred in detaining his client without formally charging him.

“We believe that the procedures that are provided under law in this country, when it comes to matters of arrest for extradition, were not followed. For which reason Arthur must be released. But as you heard the judge say, this argument will be properly taken on January 26 when we’ll return to court.”

Arthur Simpson-Kent is alleged to have killed a former EastEnders actress, Sian Blake, and her two sons and bolted to Ghana days after being questioned about the crime.

He was arrested days after arriving in Ghana where he fled to from the United Kingdom.

British newspaper, The Guardian reported on Tuesday that Ghana’s justice minister, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, said on Monday (January 11) a formal extradition request had yet to be received from the UK.

The Metropolitan police in London said they had no further update on the progress of the extradition request.

The case is back in court on January 26.