Court sentences murderer of Jirapa 'Dubai' owner for life
By DL News
Published
2 min read
Two other accused persons — Belinda Miller and Kweku Kankumbata — were acquitted and discharged by the court.
The High Court in Wa, presided over by Justice Yussif Assibey, has convicted and sentenced Elisha Mahama to life imprisonment for the murder of Eric Johnson, owner of the Royal Cosy Hills Hotel, popularly known as “Jirapa Dubai.”
Two other accused persons — Belinda Miller and Kweku Kankumbata — were acquitted and discharged by the court.
Eric Johnson, a businessman and philanthropist, was stabbed to death on February 10, 2024, at his private residence located within the Royal Cosy Hills resort in the Upper West Region.
Johnson had developed the Royal Cosy Hills Safari Resort, featuring a 4-kilometre wildlife park with zebras and other animals, an artificial lake, and various recreational facilities, to boost tourism and employment in the Jirapa area.
According to the prosecution, Elisha Mahama, a former human resource manager at the hotel, had been dismissed for alleged misconduct, including maintaining multiple intimate relationships with several female staff — a situation that created conflict and disrupted operations.
On the night of the murder, Mahama scaled the fenced wall of Johnson’s residence using a ladder, allegedly to gain access to the property.
Prosecutors told the court that Mahama placed several calls to Belinda Miller, a co-worker, seeking to locate the master key to Johnson’s room.
Once inside, Mahama stabbed Mr. Johnson multiple times, leaving him naked and in a pool of blood, before taking an undisclosed sum of money and the key to Johnson’s private Nissan vehicle. He later abandoned the car at Jirapa Zongo, the prosecution added.
Police investigations traced Mahama’s phone records and movements on the night of the murder, leading to his arrest. It was further revealed that he had left his girlfriend, Laureate Asare, in his room under the pretext of buying her food shortly before committing the crime.
After months of trial, the court found Mahama guilty of murder, describing his actions as premeditated and cruel.
Justice Yussif Assibey subsequently sentenced him to life imprisonment, bringing closure to one of Ghana’s most high-profile murder cases in recent years.
