Bright Nana Owusu alias Gyamfi, a motor cab driver, shed tears of delight after the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra cleared and freed him of murder charges.
On the day of the judgment, a seven-member jury panel unanimously gave a not guilty verdict to the court, freeing him.
Following a misunderstanding, Owusu and another David Nii Aryee alias Shainu, who was previously freed, were accused with murdering Mohammed Yahaya at Aboum crossroads in Kwabenya in July 2017.
He had been in legal detention for nearly five years before being released.
Owusu sobbed after being acquitted and dismissed by a court presided over by Her Ladyship Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh.
Murtala Inusah of the EIB Network writes that if the jury had found Owusu guilty of the crime, he would have been condemned to death.
A misunderstanding between a group of motor taxi operators occurred on July 7, 2017 at around 9 p.m. at the Abuom junction station, according to the prosecution.
The prosecution said the issue was settled, but Mohamed Yahaya was afterwards spotted fighting with another group (deceased person).
According to the prosecution, Owusu and Aryee, the first and second accused defendants, were among those observed battling the dead.
Owusu was then accused of hitting the dead with a paving block he was holding, causing him to fall down.
Aryee was also observed holding something in his hand and attempting to beat the dead with it, according to the prosecution.
The prosecution stated the court that he did not hit the dead because the victim had already fallen from the force of the first accused's paving block on his head.
According to the prosecution, there was an attempt by others to break up the altercation between the accused and the dead.
The suspects were captured and handed over to the police, while the dead was taken to the hospital right away.