Suspects arrested over apartment fire that killed a Ghanaian student to remain in custody for 7 days

The suspects accused of setting fire to items in the stairwell of an apartment building in Haspolat on October 23, causing the death of one person and serious injury of another, will remain in custody for another seven days.

Two men, SMAE and IG, accused of setting fire to the Tutar Apartment in Haspolat—resulting in the death of Derrick Bamfo Ampomah and serious injuries to Jonathan Maukle Adjabeng—returned to court alongside the building’s owner, MT.

The police reported having taken 45 statements regarding the incident, noting that one suspect’s fingerprint was found on the camera recorder and that a slipper from the suspect’s house matched prints found at the scene. The police indicated that the investigation, initially classified as murder, is evolving into a charge of premeditated murder. Consequently, the court ordered the detention of all three suspects for an additional seven days.

The suspects face charges of murder, arson, and causing serious injury. The police stated that SMAE and IG ignited the fire around 3:00 am on October 23 for an unknown reason, leading to the death of 24-year-old Ghanaian national Derrick Bamfo Ampomah, who was staying in flat number 6.

The suspects SMAE and IG reportedly provided their statements voluntarily. During the initial court appearance, police obtained statements from 30 individuals.

A mobile phone belonging to SMAE was found, along with a second hidden phone. Police also retrieved two phones from Tutar for examination. Additionally, fingerprints from SMAE were discovered on a camera recorder found near the scene, and a significant amount of footage is under review.

The prints from slippers found in the burnt building matched those taken from SMAE’s home. The suspect reportedly became unwell when the slippers were discovered.

It was revealed that MAE had a half-hour phone call with the landlord, MT, prior to the fire.

MT’s lawyer questioned whether a person would intentionally set fire to their own property, suggesting potential motives linked to insurance claims. The police confirmed that this angle is being investigated.

The police requested an extension of detention for another seven days to complete further statements and evidence review. Defence lawyers argued that three days would be sufficient.

The judge considering the serious nature of the allegations, granted the police’s request, ordering the suspects to remain in custody for a further seven days.