Vincent Aikins, defense lawyer
For the second time yesterday, the case of four persons, who have been accused of allegedly robbing Akua Donkor, founder of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), could not be heard by an Accra Circuit Court.
This was because Vincent Aikins, lawyer for two of the accused persons, who was earlier poised for action, suddenly fell sick minutes into the hearing at the court.
The lawyer, who was ushered out of the court by his office clerks, was seen sweating profusely under the fan, indicative of the fact that something was amiss.
On May 9, 2017, the trial was once again stalled because the senior defense lawyer was indisposed when the matter due for hearing.
The trial judge, Aboagye Tandoh, held that Mr. Aikins had always been present and that it would be fair for the court to adjourn proceedings at his instance.
Owing to the development, the business of the day, which was the further cross-examination of the case investigator, was shelved.
The case was subsequently adjourned until June 6, 2017.
The accused persons are Yakubu Yusif, trader and Central Regional Chairman of GFP, Abdul Razak Shaibu, a member of the GPRTU Taskforce, Banabas Kayase, Driver and secretary of the party and Opoku Agyemang.
The prosecution said the accused persons, at about 2:30 am at Sowutuom, a suburb of Accra on December 30, 2016, and at Taifa in Accra, conspired to rob the GFP 2016 flagbearer at gunpoint and snatched her travelling bag containing plane ticket, Ghanaian passport, voter ID card, $30,000 and GH¢3,000.
Two other accomplices-Joe and Nuamah aka Lion, are currently on the run.
On Monday, lawyer Aikins subjected Sergeant Yesulorn Atsutse, the third witness in the case, to cross-examination, accusing him of telling lies and not being consistent.
The senior lawyer said the witness had concocted the evidence to mislead the court.
“He has concocted his evidence and perfumed it to give sweet fragrance to this honourable court,” he said.
But Yesulorn, who is also an officer attached to the Odorkor Motorbike Patrol Team, refuted the assertion.
By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson
jeffdegraft44@yahoo.com