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A group of persons numbering over 15 yesterday besieged the Kaneshie Central Magistrate Court in Accra in readiness to attack members of the family of the late Adams Mahama, the Upper East Regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The group, comprising well-built men and bellicose young ladies believed to be supporters of the prime suspect in the murder of Adams – Gregory Afoko – brother of NPP National Chairman, Paul Afoko, thronged the court in anticipation of a clash.

The plan to attack members of the NPP regional chairman’s family somehow paid off as the group reportedly pounced on one Muazu Issaka, a brother of the late Adams Mahama, over the allegation that he had taken a shot of them with his mobile telephone.

The timely intervention of the police officers at the court premises averted another possible bloody clash. But the group, unsatisfied with the action of the police, later accosted and reportedly attacked the young man.

Kidnapping

The group, consisting of six able-bodied men (including Issah Musah) and three ladies, reportedly attempted to bundle the younger brother of the late Adams into a Saloon car.

According to sources, the group tried to seize the two mobile phones of Muazu but security personnel at a nearby car park rescued the victim from the hands of his attackers.

The sources further stated that the group warned Muazu to tell his family members to be ready because they would annihilate the entire family.

Muazu has since reported the incident to the ministries police.

This is not the first time that members of the two families have engaged in a public brawl.

On August 18, 2015 the two families had a stiff face-off at the 24th February Cross Road Courts popularly known as the Cocoa Affairs Courts when Gregory Afoko, one of the accused persons in the trial, had gone to the Human Rights Court for bail.

Gregory, 53, farmer and Issah Musah, a driver, are before the court for allegedly intentionally and unlawfully causing the death of Adams on May 20, 2015 at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.

According to the police, Issah, who is a member of the NPP, on 19th May, 2015 solicited and procured the deadly acid which he gave to the other two suspects who in turn poured it on Adams.

Asabke Alangdi, the third accused person, has been on the run together with his wife, leaving behind their one-and-a-half-year-old baby.

Gregory is facing charges of conspiracy and murder while Musah is being tried for abetment.

The plea of the two has not been taken.

At the hearing yesterday, Supt Francis Baah said the prosecution was still waiting for the Attorney General’s (AG’s) advice.

He said he had consulted the other parties in the case for an adjournment.

Alfred Adjei Mensah, counsel for Musah who is currently on bail, said he did not know whether the AG’s advice would be ready in two weeks’ time.

He was emphatic that from the posturing of the prosecution, they were unable to tell the court when the advice would be ready for the trial to proceed.

Ms Bridgette Ampem, holding the brief for Ekow Ampah Korsah, said the prosecution ought to bail her client (Afoko) if they were not ready for the trial.

However, Supt Baah in a quick rebuttal stated that the lawyers in the case understood the case before the court, insisting that it would have long been disposed of if it were not a murder case.

The trial magistrate, Worlanyo Kotoku, urged the prosecution to follow up on the advice at the AG’s office, stressing that he was optimistic the prosecution would come out with a different story in respect of the advice.

Sitting has been adjourned until October 27.

According to the police charge sheet, Gregory, 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. Police later located the house of the second but the suspect had got wind of their presence and absconded with his wife, leaving behind their baby.”

“A gallon which contains some of the substance and a plastic cup were retrieved at the scene for forensic examination,” the charge sheet added. The police have revealed that a “post mortem examination was conducted on the body of the deceased and the Pathologist gave the cause of the death as shock lungs and extensive acid burns.”