<<Print>>The case of Gregory Afoko and Musah Issah, two persons accused of pouring acid on the late Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Mr Adams Mahama has been adjourned to September 8.
The Court presided over by Mr Worlanyo Kotoku adjourned the matter to enable the Defence Counsel for Issah to repeat his application for bail variation. When the case was called, counsels for Afoko and Issah were not in court.
When the trial judge asked Afoko of his counsel’s whereabouts he said: “My Lord I am coming from cells, I don’t know what is happening.”
In the case of Issah he told the Court that his lawyer was sick and due to this the prosecutor, Mr Francis Baah, a Superintendent of Police, prayed for a two week adjournment. On August 18, Mr Alfred Agyei Mensah, Counsel for Issah, filed an application for the court to vary Issah’s bail application but the prosecution was also not present when the matter was called.
Meanwhile Counsel for Issah, had prayed the court to vary the bail conditions as his client had complied with the orders of the court. According to Counsel his client is reporting three times in a week and prayed that, that should be varied and the prosecution was not in court to respond, hence the matter was adjourned.
While Afoko is being held for murder, his accomplice Musah has been charged with abetment of crime and Afoko and Issah’s pleas have not been taken.
Meanwhile an Accra High Court has dismissed Gregory’s application for bail pending trial saying there has not been an unreasonable delay in the matter. The court presided over by Mr Justice K.A Okwabi noted that the facts and charges were properly laid and they connect Gregory to the crime.
According to the court its decision is in the interest of the public, so it denied Gregory bail. Families of the deceased and Gregory however nearly clashed in court following the trading of insults.
On July 10, a Magistrates’ Court in Accra admitted Issah to bail.
The Magistrates’ Court presided over by Mr Worlanyo Kotoku admitted Issah to bail of GH₡ 20,000.00 with four sureties. He is to report to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service before noon from Monday to Thursday until the case is concluded.
Mr Mahama was in May attacked with acid on his way home and later died in hospital. He reportedly named some of the persons who attacked him.
According to the Police, Afoko after his arrest, was asked to lead the Police to the house of his accomplice, Asabke Alangdi, but “he rather took them to the father’s house.”
The Police said they later located the house of the second person but the suspect had gotten wind of their presence and had absconded with his wife, leaving behind their baby.
A gallon, which allegedly contained some of the substance and a plastic cup were retrieved from the scene for forensic examination,” the Police stated.
The Police said: a “post mortem examination was conducted on the body of the deceased and the Pathologist gave the cause of the death as shocked lungs and extensive acid burns.”
Issah was arrested for allegedly buying the acid used for the attack.