Court rescinds Afoko’s bail

An Accra High Court presided over by Justice Merley Afua Wood, has rescinded the bail granted Gregory Afoko, one of the two, alleged to have conspired to kill Alhaji Adams Mahama, the Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), in 2015.

Gregory was on March 14, granted bail on the sum of GHC 500,000 with two sureties, one of whom was to be justified, by another Accra High Court, presided over by Justice George Buadi.

Justice Buadi granted him bail after his lawyers had prayed the court for bail for their clients, on arguments that, a nolle prosequi filed by the Attorney General on January 28, 2019 to discontinue Afoko’s trial.

This was after his alleged accomplice, one Asabke Alangde was arrested three years down the line.

However on Monday when the case was called before the High Court presided over by Justice Wood, where a fresh trial of Afoko and Alangdi had commenced, the court then rescinded the bail earlier granted Afoko.

The prosecution led by Ms. Marina Appiah Oppong, Chief State Attorney had argued that the circumstances under which Afoko was granted bail had changed.

She said the High Court granted Afoko bail on the basis that the state was not certain as to when to start prosecutions, adding that the state has now completed the committal proceedings to commence trial quickly, after the nolle prosequi was filed.

She further argued that looking at the nature of the case and the expected punishment, there was the likelihood that Afoko would not appear before the court to stand trial, if the bail was not rescinded.

Justice Wood, also a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court judge, rescinded the bail granted to Afoko, while upholding the arguments by the prosecution.

The case has been adjourned to July 17, where jurors are expected to be empanelled.

Afoko and the said Alangdi are standing trial for allegedly murdering Alhaji Adams by pouring acid on him, in front of his residence in Bolgatanga on May 20, 2015.

Afoko was standing trial at the High Court until the arrest of Alangdi in January this year, who has been on the run since the incident occurred.

Source: GNA