Godfred Yeboah Dame
The Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame has entreated lawyers and the public against making commentaries which may have an undue tendency to jeopardize the sound and efficient administration of justice in the case of the murder of Adams Mahama, Upper East Regional Chairman of the NPP.
According to him, unanimous guilty verdict of the jury regarding the guilt of Asabke Alangdi for conspiracy to commit murder, whilst at the same time delivering a hung verdict [4-3] in the case of Gregory Afoko on the same charge, the person he was accused to have conspired with, highlights the severe challenges with the jury system in Ghana.
He said steps are being taken to remedy this challenge confronting the jury system in Ghana.
It said “The instant case, particularly the unanimous verdict of the jury regarding the guilt of the 2nd accused for conspiracy to commit murder, whilst at the same time delivering a hung verdict in the case of the 1st accused on the same charge, highlights the severe challenges with the jury system, a situation the Attorney-General is taking steps to remedy as part of proposals for amendment of many parts of the criminal procedure laws of Ghana,” the statement said.
“The Attorney-General hereby respectfully, entreats members of the public, including lawyers, to be guided accordingly and desist from comments which have an undue tendency to jeopardise the sound and efficient administration of justice,” he added.
A High Court in Accra on Thursday ordered a retrial of Gregory Afoko who has been on trial for about 8 years over the death of the late Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alhaji Adams Mahama.
The second accused person Asabke Alangdi was sentenced to death by hanging on conspiracy to commit murder charge.
Alhaji Mahama was murdered after acid was poured on him.
Alangdi was on Thursday, April 27 unanimously found guilty for conspiracy to commit murder by the seven-member jury.
He has been sentenced to death.
In the case of Afoko, the jury returned a 4:3 verdict over the charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Lawyers of Asabke Alangdi have served notice they will appeal the death sentence.
“How can a person conspired against himself, be found guilty and the person that he was accused of conspiring with is found not guilty,” one of the lawyers said.
The verdict means the trial of Afoko is expected to start afresh per the laws of Ghana.
By Vincent Kubi