Amo Frank Kwaku faces jury over 2021 Marsa killing

Amo Frank Kwaku is set to stand trial over the 2021 killing of 23-year-old Isaac Kwabena Kyere in Marsa, more than five years after a late-night argument between the two men allegedly ended in a fatal stabbing.

Kwaku is accused of wilful homicide, unlawful detention accompanied by bodily harm, carrying a weapon while committing a crime against a person, and disobeying police orders while allegedly attempting to evade arrest.

The bill of indictment alleges that during the night between June 10 and 11, 2021, Kwaku and Kyere were at a friend’s home in Marsa when an argument broke out. According to prosecutors, Kwaku left the residence first and Kyere followed shortly afterwards. The two allegedly encountered each other again close to the pedestrian bridge near Ġerrejja Street, where prosecutors say Kwaku attacked Kyere with a knife.

The Attorney General alleges that Kyere was stabbed and cut at least 18 times, with several stab wounds proving fatal. The post-mortem also identified defensive injuries which, according to the indictment, Kyere sustained during the attack.

The first and most serious count is wilful homicide. Prosecutors allege that Kwaku acted with the intention of killing Kyere, or of placing his life in manifest jeopardy. The Attorney General is seeking a sentence of life imprisonment on that count, subject to the jury's verdict and the sentence ultimately imposed by the Criminal Court

Kwaku also faces a second count alleging that he arrested, detained or confined Kyere against his will and subjected him to bodily harm. The indictment ties that alleged detention directly to the stabbing, saying Kyere was held or confined while being stabbed and cut 18 times. That count carries a requested maximum punishment of six years' imprisonment.

The third count concerns possession of a weapon while committing a crime against a person. Prosecutors say Kwaku had a knife on him and used it in the alleged homicide. The Attorney General requests a sentence of up to four years on this count.

A fourth count alleges that Kwaku disobeyed lawful police orders after the killing. The prosecution says he fled when police officers closed in, refused to surrender and led officers on a chase while attempting to evade arrest. The requested punishment on that count is detention of up to two months.

What happened on the night of the killing

During the compilation of evidence, witnesses said the argument between the two men had begun over a bottle of whisky at a residence and later spilled outside. One witness said Kyere had at one point picked up a kitchen knife as though threatening his friend, while another described seeing the men fighting in the street before Kyere collapsed. 

Police responding to the scene found Kyere badly wounded. Early reports said he was lying in a pool of blood, while later forensic evidence established that he had suffered multiple stab wounds. A court heard that he ultimately died from those wounds. 

Kwaku was tracked down several hours later at a property in Triq Azzopardi. According to police evidence reported at the time, he attempted to flee across rooftops before being arrested. Police also recovered what they believed to be the murder weapon, a knife, beneath a tree in Triq il-Jum. 

The alleged confession

One potentially important part of the prosecution history is Kwaku’s alleged admission to police.

Inspector Kurt Zahra testified at Kwaku’s arraignment that Kwaku had admitted killing Kyere when he was apprehended and subsequently confirmed that admission during questioning at police headquarters. Despite that evidence, Kwaku pleaded not guilty when formally charged with murder and the other offences.

At a subsequent sitting, Inspector Wayne Camilleri testified that when Kwaku was told Kyere had died, he appeared shocked and allegedly said words to the effect that he had killed him. The officer said Kwaku appeared to have believed that Kyere had merely been badly injured rather than killed. 

Further brushes with the courts while awaiting trial

Kwaku’s court history did not end with the murder proceedings.

In December 2024, while awaiting trial over Kyere’s death, he was arraigned after police went to arrest him over alleged breaches of his bail conditions. It was reported that a Criminal Court arrest warrant had been issued after he failed to attend a number of court sittings. Police alleged that when officers went to arrest him, Kwaku violently resisted, slightly injured two officers and attempted to escape custody. He pleaded not guilty in those proceedings. 

He was subsequently granted bail in relation to those proceedings.

His most consequential later conviction came in December 2025.

Kwaku admitted carrying out an armed robbery at a convenience store in Santa Venera while he was on bail in connection with the murder case. He pleaded guilty to aggravated theft, unlawfully detaining a shop employee, slightly injuring her, carrying a knife without a licence and breaching bail conditions. 

The Court of Magistrates sentenced him to four years in prison and a €116.47 fine. The judgment records that he pleaded guilty to the charges and that the court revoked bail previously granted to him.