Prosecution Grills Afoko - Accuses Him Of Killing Adams Mahama
Prosecution yesterday questioned Gregory Afoko extensively in a bid to disprove his claim that he did not kill Alhaji Adams Mahama, a former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
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 around 11 p.m. on May 20, 2015.
He later died from the injuries at the Bolgatanga General Hospital.
Afoko has been arraigned for the former regional party chairman’s death but has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder Another accused person, Asabke Alangdi, is said to be at large.
During his evidence in chief last Monday in support of his defence, Afoko said he did not kill Alhaji Mahama or conspired with anyone to kill him.
“You poured acid on him’’
But the prosecutor, Mr Matthew Amponsah, a Chief State Attorney, during cross-examination yesterday told the accused that he (Afoko) decided to kill Alhaji Mahama for opposing Afoko’s brother, Mr Paul Afoko, who was the then National Chairman of the NPP.
According to him, on May 14, 2015, Alhaji Mahama disrupted a meeting that Mr Paul Afoko and the then General Secretary of the NPP, Mr Kwabena Agyepong, had with the Upper East Regional executives of the NPP.
Counsel submitted that Afoko and Alangdi were not happy with the action of Alhaji Mahama and decided to teach him a lesson.
“I put it to you that you were very bitter.
I further put it to you that you decided to avenge the action of Adams Mahama and this led you and Asabke to pour acid on him on the night of May 20, 2015,’’ the prosecutor said.
“Not true”
In his response, Afoko denied all the assertions of the prosecutor and explained that he would not do anything to harm Alhaji Mahama.
“It is not true.
This is because Adams Mahama and I are from the same family.
Secondly, we were both from the same political party struggling for the party to come to power.
What we needed were numbers to capture power, so there was no need to kill him to reduce our numbers,’’ he said.
The cross-examination will continue on November 30, 2018 at the Accra High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Lawrence L Mensah, a justice of the Court of Appeal with additional responsibility as a High Court judge.
Prosecution’s facts
According to the facts of the case, on May 14, 2015, Afoko’s brother, Mr Paul Afoko, and Mr Kwabena Agyepong, then National Chairman and General Secretary, respectively of the NPP, went to Bolgatanga for a meeting.
Alhaji Mahama, the prosecution claimed, organised some thugs to violently attack the two, scuttling the planned meeting at the Azumsolon Guest House, while accusing them of campaigning against the NPP 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 Afoko, who was then upset, confronted Mahama but was chased away by some thugs.
Another group
The facts also noted that Afoko and one Asabke Alangdi formed another youth group in a bid to protect persons perceived to be against Nana Akufo-Addo.
It said Afoko and Alangdi held a series of meetings with the youth, and on May 20, 2015, they laid ambush at 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 the vehicle in front of his house, Afoko 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 Adams, went to his aid and managed to bring him out of the vehicle,” the prosecution said.
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