Afoko�s Fate Hangs

The much anticipated motion for bail filed by lawyers for Gregory Afoko, one of the two persons standing trial over the murder of Adams Mahama, Upper East regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party, could not be moved yesterday. This was because the motion, expected to have been heard at the Human Rights Court presided over by Justice Kofi Essel Mensah, had been sent to a new judge as a result of the legal vacation. The new judge, Justice Ken A. Okwabi, however said the docket on the case was sent to him only yesterday morning and as such he needed time to study it. Ekow Ampah Korsah, lead counsel for the 53-year-old farmer and brother of Paul Afoko, NPP national chairman, said he and Mathew Amponsah, a senior state attorney who was in court, had as a result agreed to come back on August 11, 2015. The Story Gregory and Musah are before the Accra Central Magistrate Court for intentionally and unlawfully causing the death of Adams on May 20, 2015 at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region. According to the police, Musah, who is a member of the NPP, on 19th May, 2015 solicited and procured the deadly acid which he gave to the other two suspects who in turn poured the stuff on Adams. Asabke Alangdi, the third accused person, has been on the run together with his wife, leaving behind their one-and-a-half-year-old baby. Gregory is facing charges of conspiracy and murder. The plea of the two has not been taken. Musah, a driver who is being tried for abetment of crime, was recently admitted to bail in the sum of GH�20,000 with four sureties � a move the family of the deceased has described as unfortunate. The court had refused the bail of Gregory but his lawyers went to the Human Rights Court to fight for bail. Acid Dress It may be recalled that the Attorney General (AG) at the previous sitting, in a 28-paragraph affidavit in opposition to the application for bail filed by lawyers for Gregory, said the dress of the accused retrieved by the police during his arrest had stains of the deadly acid that killed Mr Adams. The AG contended that other materials such as the gallon containing the sulphuric acid, the burnt clothing of the deceased, and substances retrieved from Adams Mahama�s vehicle all contained the same sulphuric acid. It said the �clothing of the applicant (Gregory) which was retrieved and sent for forensic examination disclosed that the clothing was laced with sulphuric acid.� The affidavit filed on July 28, 2015 further disclosed that the final report on the wound on Gregory�s leg was yet to be released. Facts According to the police charge sheet, Gregory Afoko after his arrest, was asked to lead the police to the house of his accomplice, Asabke Alangdi, but �he rather took them to the father�s house. Police later located the house of the second accused but the suspect had got wind of their presence and absconded with his wife, leaving behind their baby. �A gallon which contains some of the substance and a plastic cup were retrieved at the scene for forensic examination.� The police have revealed that a �post-mortem examination was conducted on the body of the deceased and the pathologist gave the cause of the death as shock lungs and extensive acid burns.�