Gregory Afoko
The prosecution in the trial of Gregory Afoko and Asabke Alangdi, accused of killing Adams Mahama, the late Upper East Regional Chairman of the NPP, has urged a 7-membner jury to return a guilty verdict against the two when they deliberate on the trial.
Marina Appiah Opare, a Chief State Attorney, in an address urged the jury to “give justice to the late Adams Mahama by returning a verdict of guilty on Gregory Afoko and Asabke Alangdi as charged.”
According to her, the evidence adduced by the prosecution through its 16 witnesses leaves no room for doubt that it was the two accused persons who poured acid on the deceased, leading to his death.
Gregory Afoko and Asabke Alangdi are before the court on two counts of conspiracy to commit crime and murder, for allegedly pouring acid on the deceased who suffered severe bodily burns and died the next day while on admission at the Bolgatanga Municipal Hospital.
“Ladies and gentleman of the jury, we are submitting to you that we have been able to prove our case beyond reasonable doubt. We have been able to prove that it was these two accused persons who poured acid on the deceased, Adams Mahama on 20th May, 2015. We are urging you to accept the case of the prosecution and reject the defence of the accused because their defence is not tenable,” Mrs. Opare urged the jury in her address yesterday.
It was the case of the prosecutor that the testimonies of the accused persons when they opened their defence were full of inconsistencies and were meant to mislead the court and the jury.
Such inconsistencies she said can be found in the evidence given by the accused when they opened their defence and the statements they gave to the police when they were each arrested on separate occasions.
Mrs. Opare told the jury that some of the prosecution witness told the court that the deceased on three separate occasions – at home, on the way to the hospital and while at the hospital mentioned the names of the accused persons as the ones who poured acid on him and should he die, they should be held responsible.
She therefore, argued that there can be no doubt that the two accused persons intentionally poured the acid on the deceased and knew the effect it could have on his body, which was why they chose acid and not water or any other liquid.
She said the acid residues on the track suit trouser found in Gregory Afoko’s room tested positive as the one in a gallon found at the crime scene.
She also told the jury that Asabke ran to Ivory Coast after the incident because he knew the police were looking for him in connection with the crime.
“Finally, I want to tell you that it is important for people to be held responsible for their actions. We have done our part and the whole of Ghana is expecting you to do your part,” Mrs. Opare added.
Justice Afua Merley Wood, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court Judge, adjourned the case to April 27, 2023, to sum up the trial for the jury.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak