Six out of the 22 persons suspected to have brutally murdered Major Maxwell Mahama, who was on detachment duties at Denkyira Obuase in the Central Region, are to be discharged.
This follows an advice from the Attorney General’s Department which absolves the six of lynching the military officer.
The police concluded their investigations into the death of the late Major Mahama and have since handed over their investigative report to the Attorney General.
An Accra Central District Court was expected to begin committal proceedings against the suspects to establish whether there was enough evidence to prosecute the suspects.
But appearing before the court yesterday, a Chief State Attorney, Evelyn Keelson, told the court that the AG’s Department wishes to withdraw the charges against six of the suspects.
According to her, the police, during their investigations, did not find anything to incriminate the six.
The six are Yaw Annor, Philip Badu, Kwame Adjei, Solomon Sackey, Vivian Asahene and Anthony Amoah.
The court, presided over by Mr Worlanyo Kotoku, could not grant the application for withdrawal, stating that he did not have a copy of bail of indictment in the case docket.
He said he could not rely on an oral withdrawal made by the Chief State Attorney to withdraw the charges against the six suspects.
Mr Kotoku therefore asked the state to follow due process.
The Chief State Attorney however told the court that she filed the application the previous day and wondered why it was not included in the case docket.
She therefore prayed the court for an adjournment to enable her file the application.
She also told the court that the AG was ready to begin the committal proceedings at the next sitting.
The judge therefore adjourned the matter to December 19, 2017.
The suspects are facing murder and conspiracy to commit murder charges.
An Accra Central District Magistrate Court has issued a warrant for the immediate arrest of six other persons, who are allegedly involved in the murder of the soldier.
The suspects are Yaw Amankwa aka Bulla, Nana Kwadwo aka Nana Ajo, Maame Dedeekor, Tikwah, Yaw Boadu and Kofi Ahenkora.
The six suspects are said to be hiding in Ghana and the neighbouring countries.
By Gibril Abdul Razak