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Policy of Monday, July 22, 2019
Source: dailyguidenetwork.com
2019-07-22
Former President, John Dramani Mahama
Former President John Dramani Mahama fanned the fire in the trial of Gregory Afoko, accused of pouring acid on the president of the Upper East Side region of the new Patriotic Party (NPP) which led to his death.
Mr. Mahama says that the way in which the government deals with the case before the courts is an affront to the rule of law.
Mahama, who will lead the NDC in the presidential election of 2020 after losing sadly in 2016, says the government made a mistake in deciding to cancel the bail given to the suspect in March this year. year.
Speaking in front of members of his party and overseen by Citi FM, the former president urged clergy and traditional leaders to ask the government to become aware of its "mistakes".
His comments were received with mixed reactions; some people suggest that the former president was at the back of the trial and that it was one of his "tactics" to gain public sympathy.
"Recently, in court, someone asked for a bail, but the government canceled it. Each country is governed by rules. If the government decides not to follow the rules, then where does our destiny lie as a country, "said Mahama.
He added that "the young man was incarcerated for a long time before being brought to justice. It could be any other person as well, so clergy and traditional leaders need to be heard to make the government aware of its mistakes.
First arrest
Gregory Afoko was arrested in May 2015 for allegedly pouring acid on Adams Mahama, president of the Upper East region, which had resulted in his untimely death.
He allegedly plotted with Asabke Alangdi, recently arrested in his hideout in Ivory Coast, to commit this heinous crime.
Trial
Afoko was brought before a high court in Accra for murder after a central Accra court sent him back to court.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder against him.
The state closed its case after calling 14 prosecution witnesses, including the wife of the late Adams Mahama.
Afoko then opened his defense and vehemently denied the charges against him.
He called his older brother, John Afoko, as the only witness in this case in a jury trial.
Judge Lawrence L. Mensah, a trial judge, was about to close the case when, on January 28, the Attorney General's Department issued a report in the case following the arrest of Alangdi.
Bail
In March, the High Court of Accra granted Afoko a bond of 500,000 GH ¢ with two bonds, one to be justified.
But bail was overturned by another High Court on Monday following an application filed by the Attorney General's Office (A-G).
According to the prosecution, the AG had reason to believe that given the severity of the punishment, Afoko would probably be sentenced if he was found guilty, he would not be available for trial if the deposit was not canceled.
Second trial
The new trial of Afoko and his alleged accomplice, Alangdi, began in front of a high court in Accra last week, after the court had successfully formed a seven-member jury.
The two men allegedly poured acid on the victim who died, was severely burned and died the next day when he was admitted to the Bolgatanga Municipal Hospital.
Afoko and Asabke appear in court on two charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and murder, for which they have all pleaded not guilty.
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