In a landmark ruling that has sent shockwaves through the Upper West Region, the High Court in Wa has convicted Elisha Mahama, the former Human Resources Manager of the Royal Cosy Hills Hotel—affectionately known as “Jirapa Dubai”—of the brutal murder of the hotel’s owner, Eric Johnson. Mahama, 35, was sentenced to life imprisonment after a seven-member jury unanimously found him guilty of murder under Section 47 of Ghana’s Criminal Offenses Act, 1960 (Act 29).
The verdict, delivered after an 18-month trial marred by procedural delays and transfer petitions, brings a measure of closure to a case that gripped the nation due to its ties to workplace intrigue, alleged romantic entanglements, and a daring nighttime intrusion.
Two co-accused—Berlinda Milla, Mahama’s girlfriend and a fellow hotel staffer, and Kwaku Kankumbata—were acquitted and discharged, with the jury determining there was insufficient evidence to link them to the crime.
The Gruesome Incident and Motive
The murder unfolded on the night of February 10, 2024, in Jirapa, a town in the Upper West Region where Johnson’s opulent Royal Cosy Hills Hotel had earned the moniker “Jirapa Dubai” for its lavish architecture and amenities, transforming the area into a tourism hotspot. Johnson, 52, a visionary entrepreneur credited with boosting local employment and infrastructure, was found stabbed to death in his private residence on the hotel grounds. An autopsy revealed multiple stab wounds to the chest and neck, consistent with a targeted attack.
Prosecutors, led by Saeed Abdul Shakur Esq., painted a picture of premeditated conspiracy rooted in professional resentment. Mahama, who had been abruptly sacked by Johnson just two days earlier on February 8, 2024, allegedly harbored a grudge over the dismissal. Court documents revealed the firing stemmed from allegations of Mahama’s inappropriate relationships with at least four female employees, which prosecutors said had sown discord and disrupted hotel operations. As was revealed in court during arguments that this was not a random act but a vengeful plot hatched in the shadows of betrayal.
Key evidence hinged on Mahama’s alleged method of entry: he scaling a fortified perimeter wall using an aluminum ladder sourced from the hotel premises. Forensic analysis linked a discarded glove at the scene to Mahama’s DNA, while phone records showed suspicious communications between him and Milla in the hours leading up to the killing. The prosecution called nine witnesses, including hotel security personnel, Johnson’s family members, and a pathologist who detailed the ferocity of the attack.
The Arrest and Twists in the Trial
Mahama was arrested on February 27, 2024, in a hideout in Takoradi, the bustling coastal city over 500 kilometers from Jirapa. Flown back to Wa under police escort, he was initially one of seven suspects remanded by the Wa District Court, presided over by Judge Maxwell Maxbrain Titiriku. Four others—hotel staffers Favour Nuobe and Charles Tuoze, among them—were discharged early due to lack of involvement. Milla and Kankumbata, accused of aiding and abetting, remained in custody as the case escalated to the High Court in March 2024.
The trial, under Justice Yussif Assibey, faced multiple adjournments. In May 2024, proceedings stalled amid petitions to transfer the case to Kumasi, citing potential local biases in Wa.
The Chief Justice’s office reviewed the requests but ultimately allowed the trial to proceed locally in July, sparing witnesses the burden of long-distance travel. Mahama’s defense, arguing mistaken identity and planted evidence, called three witnesses but struggled against the prosecution’s forensic haul.
Reactions and Broader Impact
Johnson’s family, represented by a family member, described the ruling as “bittersweet justice” in a statement outside the courthouse. “Eric’s dream was to make Jirapa shine like Dubai. This monster dimmed that light, but we will keep it burning,” the family member said, vowing to continue the hotel’s operations.
As Mahama is transported to Ankafo Prison in the Central Region to begin his life term, the acquittal of Milla and Kankumbata elicited mixed responses—relief from their supporters, but frustration from those who saw them as enablers. For now, Jirapa mourns its fallen pioneer, but the resilience of “Dubai” endures.
By: Adil Fuseini
