The Suspects
14 persons suspected to have brutally murdered Major Maxwell Mahama, who was on detachment duties at Denkyira-Obuasi (now New Obuasi) in the Central Region, have been committed by an Accra Central District Court to stand trial at the High Court.
The 14 were among 22 persons arraigned before the district court charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Eight suspects were about two weeks ago discharged because according to the Attorney General’s office, there was not enough evidence linking them to the crime.
The 14, who are to stand trial for lynching the army officer, are William Baah, Bernard Asamoah, Kofi Nyame, Akesi Baah, Kwame Tuffuor, Joseph Appiah Kubi, Michael Anin, Bismark Donkor, John Boadi, Akwesi Asante, Charles Kenin, Emmanuel Baidoo, Bismark Aboagye and Kwadjo Animah.
Chief State Attorney Evelyn Keelson told the court that a bill of indictment on the accused persons was filed on December 15, 2017 and that all the accused persons had been given copies.
She said the state intends to call 15 witnesses who had identified the suspects as the assailants of the late soldier.
She added that 13 of the suspects – except William Baah, assemblyman for the area – had been captured on videos during the dastardly act.
Ms Evelyn Keelson tendered in 53 exhibits to the court, which would be handed over to the high court for the trial.
Among the items tendered in as exhibits are forensic report, post-mortem report on the deceased, video recordings, two single-barrel shot guns, a six-inche cement block and a partly burnt shirt.
The rest are one clog pistol, an iPhone, a metal bar, a stone, two pellets, one empty cartridge, seven rounds of ammunition and photograph of the crime scene.
She said the prosecution had gathered enough evidence to put the 14 through trial, adding that a copy of the summary of evidence was given to each accused person.
When asked by the court, presided over by Ebenezer Kwaku Ansah, if they had anything to say different from the charges read to them, all the accused said no.
The presiding judge thus, ruled that there was enough evidence against them and therefore committed them to stand trial at the high court to answer the charges levelled against them.
Their lawyer, George Bernard Shaw, told the court that the defence would be calling a couple of their own witnesses, including the Diaso police.
The trial of the 14 has been scheduled for February 15, 2018.
Background
Major Maxwell Mahama was allegedly killed by the 14 accused persons and others who are still at large, at Denkyira-Obuasi, where he was on detachment duties.
According to eyewitness reports, the army officer (then Captain but elevated to Major post-humously by President Akufo-Addo) was on a 20-kilometre walk when he was reportedly mistaken for a thief by some women from whom he had purchased some snails.
The women, who thought he was an armed robber after spotting his official pistol, called the assemblyman in the area to raise an alarm.
The assemblyman then quickly organised people in the town and lynched the soldier and later burnt part of his body.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak