Some of the suspects
Thirty-four accused persons initially arrested for allegedly lynching Major Maxwell Mahama on Monday, May 29, 2017 at Denkyira-Obuase in the Upper Denkyira West in the Central Region, have been discharged by an Accra Central District Court.
The 34 accused persons, who were discharged by the court, were immediately re-arrested.
The move was to allow the Police to consolidate the process and present one charge sheet for the 34 accused persons and 24 others arrested later.
The 58 accused persons were again arraigned before the court in connection with the murder of Major Mahama.
Thirty-two accused persons were remanded by the court to reappear on July 6, 2017, leaving 26 others.
DSP Sheila Abayie Buckman, Deputy Director in-charge of the Public Affairs Unit of the Ghana Police Service, who was in court, said the prosecution prayed the court to remand the 32 accused persons believed to be directly involved in the murder of the soldier while investigations continue.
The 26 others, according to her, who are not directly linked to the crime may be given police enquiry bail.
She said they are currently required by the police to assist in investigations.
All 58 suspects, who were transported to the court in two Police Black Maria vehicles, were protected by heavily armed policemen and officers of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
The accused were escorted in groups of five to the District Court 3, presided over by Magistrate Ebenezer Kwaku Ansah.
Police prosecutors, led by DSP George Amegah, told the court that the prosecution now has three separate charge sheets that it intends to consolidate so that all accused persons could be presented to the court on one charge sheet.
On Monday, June 19, 2017, seven others, who were standing trial at a Cape Coast Court, were also discharged but re-arrested and sent to Accra for prosecution.
Meanwhile, five persons- Yaw Amankwa aka Bullar, the main suspect; Kweku Diesel, a motor rider, Tikwa, Kenkeba and Atipar, are still at large.
The CID has vowed to arrest all perpetrators who allegedly lynched Major Mahama at Denkyira Obuase.
According to autopsy conducted on the late Major Mahama’s body, the assailants shot him twice before lynching him.
Two bullets were lodged in his body, a pathologist at the 37 Military Hospital who conducted the autopsy discovered.
He also suffered a fractured skull when the crowd descended upon him with cudgels, clubs and other deadly weapons.
Three people, led by suspect Yaw Amankwa, are suspected to have fired the shots at the soldier.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey
(lindatenyah@gmail.com)