Court remands Gregory Afoko for alleged murder

An Accra Central Magistrates’ Court, presided over By Mr Worlanyo Kotoku has refused a bail application filed by the counsel for Gregory Afoko, charged for conspiracy to commit crime and murder.

The accused person together with one Asabke Alangdi, now at large, have been accused of murdering the late Adams Mahama, former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Gregory, whose plea was not taken, would re-appear in court on Tuesday, June 9.

Mr Stephen Ampah-Korsah, the lead counsel for the accused person, initially raised an objection against the mentioning on the fact sheet, the name of Mr Paul Afoko, National Chairman of the NPP, and the senior brother of the accused person.

He said this could be pre-judicial, in the determination of the case, and prayed the court to order the amendment of the fact sheet.

The counsel in applying for bail, told the court that the object was not to secure the liberty of the accused person, but it was also meant to keep his fibre together in readiness for the trial.

“It is the period for the accused person to aid the defence counsel in the trial process, my lord we need the accused person around us.”

Police Superintendent Francis Baah, told the court that the accused person is a farmer and the younger brother of Mr Afoko.

He said during the early part of May, Mr Afoko and Mr  Kwabena Agyepong, the General Secretary of the party,  arrived in Bolgatanga, where the deceased organized some thugs to violently attack them, for scuttling the planned meeting to campaign against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.

The prosecution said the situation was later brought under control by the police, but Gregory who was not impressed with the action by the regional chairman had a confrontations with him, until Gregory was chased out by the thugs.

Superintendent Baah said later Gregory and his accomplice mobilized some youth to form another group with their sole aim to protect party executives perceived to be against Nana Addo’s bid.

He said there were series of meetings and on May 20 Gregory and his accomplice armed with a substance in a gallon suspected to acid, laid ambush at the deceased residence when he was returning home around 11pm.

The prosecution said immediately the deceased saw them he parked his car in front of his house and the accused person and his accomplice went closer, signaled him to roll his glass, where him identified Gregory and his partner as party members.
“Suddenly, Gregory and his partner poured the substance on his head, face and other part of his body and fled on a motorbike,” he added.

He said wife of the deceased heard the screaming of the deceased and came to help him, where she managed to bring him out of the car and in the process, she sustained burns on the right side of the chest and breast.

Police Superintendent Baah said when the wife enquired from the husband what happened, the late Mahama told her that it was Gregory and his partner, who poured the substance on him.

He said the deceased, who could not withstand the pain, kept mentioning the names of the accused person and his partner, while he was rushed to the hospital.

While the deceased was being prepared to be airlift to Accra for an intensive care, he was pronounced dead.

The police later located the house of Gregory accomplice but his got wind of the information and absconded with his wife leaving behind their baby.

Meanwhile a gallon, which contained some of the substance and a plastic cup were retrieved at the scene and post mortem examination conducted on the deceased indicated shock lungs and extensive acid burns.

Source: GNA