.JPG "Gregory Afoko denied bail again")
Gregory Afoko denied bail again
Gregory Afoko, the man indicted for the murder of the former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alhaji Adams Mahama, has for the second time been denied bail by the Accra High Court.
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The court, presided over by Mr Justice Lawrence L. Mensah, in a ruling last Thursday held that granting bail to Afoko would not auger well for the case.
"Interest of justice will better be served if the accused person remains in custody," the court stated.
The court first refused bail to the accused person on June 28, 2016 on grounds of security.
Thursday’s hearing was supposed to be the continuation of the evidence-in-chief of the first prosecution witness, Hajia Zainabu Adams, the wife of Alhaji Mahama.
However, that ended up as an application for bail by Afoko's legal team after the prosecutor, Chief State Attorney Mr Matthew Amponsah, informed the court that Hajia Adams was indisposed.
Bail application
Lawyer for Afoko, Mr Osafo Buabeng, argued that his client had been in custody since his arrest on May 21, 2015 and that he had consistently asserted his innocence.
He added that since the inception of the trial, Afoko had shown his preparedness to contest the charges levelled against him and expressed his client's willingness to appear before the court at all times.
"My client also has a fixed place of abode and there are people of repute to stand surety for him," he added.
Counsel further contended that the failure of Hajia Mahama to appear before the court to give her evidence was an indication that the prosecution wanted to stall the case.
"I, therefore, urge the court to exercise its discretion and grant the accused person bail,” counsel for Afoko said.
Opposition
The bail application was vehemently opposed by Mr Amponsah who disputed Mr Buabeng's assertion that the case had stalled.
According to him, any delay that had occurred in the case was due to Afoko's ill health, which led to his referral from prison custody to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for medical attention.
The prosecutor further contended that Afoko's security would be in jeopardy should he be granted bail.
"If the accused person is granted bail, Bolgatanga, where the crime took place, and the entire country will not be safe for him,” he added.
Afoko has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Facts
According to the facts of the case, on May 14, 2015, Gregory’s brother, Mr Paul Afoko, and Mr Kwabena Agyepong, then National Chairman and General Secretary, both of the NPP, arrived in Bolgatanga for a meeting.
Mahama, the prosecution claimed, organised some thugs to violently attack the two, scuttling the planned meeting at the Azumsolon Guest House while accusing them of campaigning against the flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and also not notifying him (Mahama) of the meeting.
The situation, according to the prosecution, was later brought under control by the police.
Gregory, who was then upset, confronted Mahama but was chased away by some thugs.
Another group
The court was also told that Gregory and one Asabke Alangdi formed another youth group in their bid to protect persons perceived to be against Nana Akufo-Addo.
The prosecution said Gregory and Alangdi held a series of meetings with the youth and on May 20, 2015, they laid ambush at Mahama’s residence with a substance suspected to be acid.
“Mahama returned home around 11:10 p.m. in his pick-up and as soon as he parked the vehicle in front of his house, Gregory and Asabke went close and signalled him to roll down the glass.
“Mahama identified the suspects to be party members and rolled down the glass to talk to them. The suspects poured a substance, suspected to be acid, on his head, face and other parts of his body and fled on a motorbike.
“Mahama started screaming for help and his wife, Hajia Adams, went to his aid and managed to bring him out of the vehicle,” the prosecution said.