Gregory Afoko, the
man accused in 2015 of the murder of Alhaji Adams Mahama, the then Upper
East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been hospitalised.
This was made known by the prosecutor in the trial of
Afoko and his alleged accomplice, Asabke Alangdi, at the Accra High Court on
Monday, November 9, 2020.
Ms Marina Appiah Oppong, a Chief State Attorney, said
the prosecution was ready to call its first witness to testify but could not do
so because Afoko was unavailable.
“The investigator informed me
that Afoko has been taken ill and is receiving medical attention,” she said.
In view of that, the court presided over by Justice
Afua Merley Wood, a justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as a High Court
judge, adjourned the trial to November 24, 2020.
This is not the first time Afoko has been reported
ill and hospitalised since he was remanded more than four years ago.
His lawyers had been complaining that he has a
recurring condition.
Not guilty
Afoko and Alangdi have pleaded
not guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit murder and murder.
A seven-member jury, made up of four women and three
men, will decide their fate after the trial is over.
Background
Alhaji Mahama suffered severe bodily injuries after a
substance suspected to be acid was allegedly poured on him in front of his house
in Bolgatanga on May 20, 2015.
He later died from the injuries at the Bolgatanga
General Hospital.
Afoko was initially the only one standing trial after
Alangdi allegedly absconded from Ghana.
After more than three years of trial, the
Attorney-General filed a nolle prosequi on January 28, 2019, to discontinue the
trial following the arrest of Alangdi.
Afoko challenged the nolle prosequi by filing a case
at the Supreme Court, but on June 19, 2019, the apex court dismissed the case
on the premise that Afoko failed to prove that the nolle prosequi was
capricious, unfair and arbitrary.
Prosecution’s facts
According to the facts of the case, on May 14, 2015,
Gregory’s brother, Paul Afoko, and Kwabena Agyepong, then National Chairman and
General Secretary respectively of the NPP, arrived in Bolgatanga for a meeting.
Mr Mahama, the prosecution claimed, organised some
thugs to violently attack the two, scuttling the planned meeting at the
Azumsolon Guest House and accused them of campaigning against the flag bearer,
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and also not notifying him (Mahama) of the
meeting.
The situation, according to the prosecution, was
later brought under control by the police, adding that suspect Afoko, who was
then upset, confronted Mr Mahama but was chased away by some thugs.
Another group
The facts also claimed that suspects Afoko and
Alangdi formed another youth group in their bid to protect persons perceived to
be against President Akufo-Addo.
It said suspects Afoko and Alangdi held series of
meetings with the youth, and on May 20, 2015, they laid ambush at Mr Mahama’s
residence with a substance suspected to be acid.
“Mahama returned home around 11:10 p.m. in his
pick-up vehicle, with registration number NR 761-14, and immediately he parked
in front of his house, Gregory and Asabke went close and signalled him to roll
down the glass.
“Mahama identified the suspects to be party members
and rolled down the glass to talk to them. Suddenly, the suspects poured the
substance, suspected to be acid, on his head, face and other parts of his body
and fled on a motorbike.
“Mahama started screaming for help, and his wife,
Hajia Zenabu Adams, went to his aid and managed to bring him out of the
vehicle,” the prosecution said.
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