Adams Mahama and Gregory Afoko
The pathologist who conducted the autopsy on the late Adams Mahama, Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has once again failed to appear in court to testify in the trial of Gregory Afoko who has been accused of the murder.
Dr. Lawrence Edusei is the 13th prosecution witness and he is yet to submit the autopsy report on the late NPP official.
He failed to show up last week to testify and the prosecution led by Mathew Amponsah, a senior state attorney, told the court that the pathologist had prayed the court to give him two weeks to get the report ready.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to yesterday hoping that he would be available for the trial.
Appearing before the court yesterday, the prosecution told the court that the pathologist was still asking for more time to get his report ready.
He said he tried his best to get in touch with him but the doctor asked him to pray the court to give him two weeks to get the report ready.
The court presided over by Justice Lawrence L. Mensah was not impressed with the excuse and he queried the prosecution about how long it takes to write a thesis.
The defence led by Osafo Buaben did not object to the pathologist’s excuse, saying if he says the report is not ready then he should be given time to get it ready.
However, Justice Mensah expressed concern about the pathologist’s absence, saying this would be the last time he would be allowed to cause the court to adjourn the matter.
The failure of the pathologist to be present in court today and the rest of the week poses great inconvenience to the court. The court will accept the adjournment prayed by the pathologist to July 18, 2018. However, the court will not accept any further excuse for adjournments after this date.
Hearing continues on July 18, 2018.
Not The First Time
Dr. Lawrence Edusei was at the receiving end of the court’s criticism last week when he failed to show up to present the report as well as testify.
This caused the judge to say he would not allow him to do what happened with the JB Danquah case; he told the court that his home was burgled and he lost a sizeable number of autopsy reports.
The judge also complained about how long it was taking the pathologist to get the report ready comparing the situation to judges who have to write very lengthy judgements.
“This is not a district court and I would not allow what happened in the JB Danquah case to happen here”, he pointed out.
“We judges write down 50, 60 and sometimes 100-paged judgements and it doesn’t take us two weeks. What kind of report is he writing?” Justice Mensah queried.
“We are not joking here; it is his civic responsibility as a medical officer even if he is on retirement”, he added.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak