Afoko trial – Court adjourns to hear application challenging Nolle Prosequi

An Accra District Court, hearing the case in which Gregory Afoko and Asabke Alangdi have been accused of causing the death of Adams Mahama, former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, has adjourned the matter.

The Court, presided over by Mrs Efua Sackey, adjourned the matter to hear an application filed by the counsel for Gregory, on Monday.

In court on Tuesday morning, the Counsel for Gregory, Benedicta Antwi, said that they had filed an objection at the Supreme Court challenging the Nolle Prosequi filed against her client, earlier this year.

She said they filed the process yesterday and had since served the Attorney General’s Department as well as the prosecution.

But the Court held that it was not privy to the said application and as such, could not go ahead to hear it.

She said at least all the parties, including the Court, must be given three clear days to be able to go through the application before it could be heard.

She, therefore, adjourned the matter to February 18, for the application to be heard.

Following the arrest of Asabke, in Cote d’Ivoire on Friday, January 25, the two were put before an Accra District Court for committal processes to commence, but on their first appearance their pleas were not taken.

The two were both charged with conspiracy to commit crime as well as intentionally and unlawfully causing the death of Adams.

They are since then being kept in the custody of the Bureau of National Investigations to assist the Police in its investigations.

At an earlier session, Police Chief Inspector Maxwell Oppong told the Court, presided over by Ms Efua G. Sackey, that Hajia Zainabu Adams, the widow of Adams was the prosecution witness and a resident of Bolgatanga SSNIT Flats.

He said both of the accused persons were farmers who also lived at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.

He explained that Afoko was the younger brother of Mr Paul Afoko, a former Chairman of the NPP; whilst Alangdi was a member of the youth wing of the party.

Chief Inspector Oppong said both of them were known to Adams. On May 20, 2015, at about 23:00 hours, Adams, who was driving his car, nearing home from his construction site, when he was asked to stop in front of his house by two men.

The Prosecution said the two signaled him to roll down his side of the glass of the vehicle and he obliged. They immediately poured some acid on him, which made him scream from the burning sensation to attract his wife’s attention, but the two bolted.

He said Adams sustained burns on his head, face and body whereas the wife, who assisted him out of the car, also had burns on her breasts and chest.

The prosecution said she asked who had done this to him and he mentioned Afoko and Alangdi.

He said she then called for help, which attracted some sympathisers, who conveyed him to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital. But he died the next day at the Intensive Care Unit.

Chief Inspector Oppong said the matter was referred to the police and a plastic cup, a gallon of some acid as well as clothes belonging to the deceased were collected for investigations. The car seat was also soaked with some of the liquid.

He said a track suit and other items believed to be for the accused persons were also taken at the scene by the police.

He said they were sent to the Ghana Standards Authority for examination and it confirmed the liquid as acid.

The Prosecution said based on this information, Afoko was arrested who led police to Alangdi’s house, but he had escaped.

He said on May 15, 2015, Dr Lawrence Adusei’s autopsy report indicated that Adams suffered shock and extensive acid burns.

Afoko was standing trial until Alangdi was arrested on January 25 in Cote d’Ivoire with the help of the Interpol.

Chief Inspector Oppong said the trial of Afoko had been discontinued as a nolle prosequi had been entered by the Attorney-General for the two to go through committal proceedings together.

Source: GNA