Afoko’s committal proceeding begins February 18
A Magistrate’s Court in Accra has fixed February 18 to begin committal proceedings on Gregory Afoko , who allegedly poured acid on Adams Mahama, the Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, and thus terminated his life.
The committal proceeding would pave away for Afoko to stand trial at the High Court over the charge on murder.
At the Magistrate court today, Mr Mathew Amponsah, the Chief State Attorney, said all was set for the committal proceedings to begin at the next adjourned date.
Mr Amponsah said the state had filed the bill of indictment and summary of evidence.
“We are here before you for direction that is a date for committal,” Mr Amponsah explained.
Mr Israel Ackah, who represented Afoko, said they were happy that all was set for the committal process to begin.
Mr Ackah said they had also been served with the bill of indictment but did not have the medical report of the deceased, for which they had written to the Attorney General
Mr Amponsah admitted that they omitted the medical report and that it would be provided to the defense.
The court, presided over by Mr Worlanyo Kotoku, said there was proof of service on the court records and a certificate of service was dated on February 3, this year.
It, therefore, adjourned the matter to February 18.
Afoko on a number of occasions sought bail at the Magistrate’s Court but the Court turned it down.
His lawyers had argued that he had been incarcerated for more than eight months and his personal liberty was at stake, hence he should be admitted to bail.
Afoko has been charged for murder, while his alleged accomplice, Musah Issah, is being held for abetment of crime. Their pleas have not been taken.
On July 10, the Magistrate’s Court presided over by Mr Worlanyo Kotoku, admitted Issah to bail in the sum of GH¢20,000.00 with four sureties.
He is to report to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service before noon from Monday to Thursday, until the case is disposed off.
In the case of Afoko, an Accra High Court refused him bail, saying there had not been any unreasonable delay in the matter.
The Court, presided over by Mr Justice K. A. Okwabi, noted then that the facts and charges were properly laid and they connected Gregory to the crime.
In May last year, while he was on the way home, Mahama was attacked with acid, and he later died of his injuries at the hospital.
He reportedly named some of the persons who attacked him.
According to the Police, Afoko after his arrest, was asked to lead the Police to the house of his accomplice, Asabke Alangdi, but “he rather took them to his father’s house.”
The Police said they later located the house of the second person, but when the suspect got wind of their presence he absconded with his wife, leaving behind their baby.
A gallon, which allegedly contained some of the substance and a plastic cup, were retrieved from the scene for forensic examination, the Police said.
The Police said: a “post mortem examination was conducted on the body of Adam and the pathologist gave the cause of the death as shocked lungs and extensive acid burns.”
Issah was arrested for allegedly buying the acid used for the attack.
Source: GNA