Afoko trial: Twelfth prosecution witness testifies
The twelfth prosecution witness, in the case involving Gregory Afoko, accused of murdering the former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has given his evidence in chief.
The witness, Detective Chief Inspector Charles Blay, said he was stationed at the Bolga Criminal Investigative Department (CID) at the time of the incident, but is currently at the CID headquarters, Accra.
He said he knew all the previous witnesses apart from the GSA Toxicologist.
He said when the incident occurred on May 20, 2015 he was tasked to investigate the case. On 21 a team of investigators of the homicide unit in Accra led by Sept. William Sediame together with a senior pathologist Dr Lawrence Adusei from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital arrived at Bolga to assist in investigations after the victim died on 21st May 2015.
He said on their arrival a post mortem was conducted on the deceased and after that the body was identified in my presence and the team of investigators from Accra.
The witness said soon after the post mortem, instructions came that the team from Accra should take over the investigation. I was asked to assist them. In view of that I took statements from the prosecution witnesses, Afoko, and other witnesses.
He said he took all those statements with the exception of that of Hajia Adams, which was taken by Chief Inspector Augustine Nkrumah in his presence in her house on May 22, 2015.
Mr Blay also told the court that he took caution statement from Afoko on May 22, in the presence of an independent witness, adding that he gave the statements in English and he recorded it.
“Afterwards the independent witness read it over to him and he appended his signature. On that day one of the brothers of Afoko who is a lawyer was also present,” he said.
He said when they went to the deceased house they saw his wife with fresh acid burns on her right hands and breast, and she told them that after the acid was poured on the husband she heard him screaming while in the car so she came out and opened the door of the car and while trying to bring him out of the car she had contact with the husband as result she also sustained injuries.
The witness later said he was the one who issued the police medical report form to Hajia.
During cross examination, he told the court that Hajia’s fingers were not injured but it was the inner part of her arm that was injured.
He said Hajia wrote the statement to the police about the incident, on May 22.
When asked why his name was not on the statement as a witness, he told the court that his name was not in the statement but he was there, saying it was not the norm that the investigator’s name is added as being present.
Mr Blay said apart from him and Nkrumah, Superintendent, William Sediame was present with an interpreter called Christiana Bentie Sai.
He told the court that he also gave his statement to the police.
When asked whether he was aware that between March and May 2015, there were series of disturbances between Mr Adams and the NPP members in Bolga, and Mr Adams was arrested by the Regional Crime Officer at that time for inciting crime against Kwabena Agyepomg and Paul Afoko, he said he was not aware.
He also answered that he was not aware of any case of assault lodged at the Bolga police by one Jerry who was also an executive member of the NPP against Mr Adams.
He later said he was also present when the post mortem examination was conducted, but he did not see Mr Adams in the hospital before he died.
The case was at this point adjourned to July 6, for the defence counsel to conclude their cross examination.
At the last adjourned date the prosecution presented its 11th witness Mr Sampson Sarpaa, Physician Assistant at the Bolga Regional Hospital.
The prosecution has so far called 12 witnesses including Hajia Adams, Madam Issaka, Quinn, Taufic, Dominic, Awafo, Thomas, Benjamin, James, Peter, Sampson and Charles. They intend to call three more witnesses.
Afoko, a farmer, is alleged to have killed Mr Mahama on May 20, 2015, and he is being held on the charges of conspiracy to commit crime to wit murder and murder.
He has pleaded not guilty before the Court, which is also composed of a seven-member jury.
It was alleged that Afoko carried out the act with Alandgi Asabke, who is on the run.
Source: GNA