A High Court in Accra has ordered a retrial of Gregory Afoko, who has been on trial for over six years in connection to the death of the late Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alhaji Adams Mahama.
The retrial comes after the jury returned a not guilty verdict of 4-3 in both the murder and conspiracy to commit murder charges against Afoko. However, the second accused person, Asabke Alangdi, was sentenced to death by hanging after the jury returned a unanimous verdict on the charge of conspiracy to commit murder against him.
Alhaji Adams Mahama suffered severe body injuries after a substance suspected to be acid was poured on him in front of his house in Bolgatanga on May 20, 2015. He later died from the injuries at the Bolgatanga General Hospital.
Initially, Afoko was the only one standing trial after Alangdi allegedly absconded from Ghana, but the Attorney-General filed a nolle prosequi on January 28, 2019, to discontinue the trial following Alangdi’s arrest. Afoko challenged the nolle prosequi by filing a case at the Supreme Court, but the apex court dismissed the case on June 19, 2019.
The prosecution’s facts state that Gregory’s brother, Mr Paul Afoko, and Mr. Kwabena Agyepong, then National Chairman and General Secretary respectively of the NPP, arrived in Bolgatanga for a meeting on May 14, 2015.
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Adams Mahama, the prosecution claimed, organized some thugs to violently attack the two, scuttling the planned meeting at the Azumsolon Guest House, accusing them of campaigning against the flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and also not notifying him (Mahama) of the meeting.
The prosecution claimed that Gregory and Asabke Alangdi formed another youth group in their bid to protect persons perceived to be against Nana Akufo-Addo. It said Gregory and Alangdi held a series of meetings with the youth, and on May 20, 2015, they laid ambush at Mahama’s residence with a substance suspected to be acid.
