Mahama ‘Killers’ Walk Free, Lawyer Demands Compensation

EIGHT of the 22 persons standing trial over the murder of late Major Maxwell Adams Mahama were yesterday freed by the court in Accra and would be walking home as free men after the necessary documentation signed.

The Attorney-General (A-G) has dropped the criminal charges against the eight persons who were hitherto in police custody over the gruesome murder of the Captain of the Ghana Armed Forces who was on official duty to check the activities of illegal miners in the Central Region.

Mrs. Evelyn Keelson, a Principal State Attorney told the Accra Central District Court yesterday that there was no evidence against the eight.

George Bernard Shaw, lawyer for the accused persons has expressed delight at the development but has hinted he would be seeking the requisite compensation for his clients who he says have been subjected to unwarranted detention for months, public ridicule and unfair treatment.

The freed eight are: Yaw Annor aka Agbahowa, mason; Philip Badu, prisons assistant; Kwame Agyei, farmer; Anthony Amoah aka Kwaku Manu/Amis, ‘Okada’ operator; Solomon Sackey, carpenter, Ebenezer Appiah aka Akwesi Adjei; Solomon Kofi Fordjour and Vivian Sahene aka Mafia, unemployed.

The court presided over by Worlanyo Kotoku acceded to the request of the A-G after it had refused to grant an earlier attempt to discharge the accused persons last week.

The State had at the initial stages of the trial discharged 13 accused persons bringing the number to 22 further trimming it down to 14 by the latest move.

The eight were part of 22 suspects, including a woman in police grips charged over the gruesome murder of the 5 Battalion of Infantry Soldier on May 29, 2017.

They were provisionally charged with conspiracy to murder and murder.

Discharge

Mrs. Evelyn Keelson, a Principal State Attorney said after the Attorney General had the opportunity to study the docket and she came to the conclusion that 14 out of the 22 person before the court must be prosecuted

She noted that there was evidence to proceed and prosecute 14 persons adding that there was no evidence to prosecute the eight.

“In view of this my lord, in accordance with Section 59 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, Act 30, 1960, the eight person must be discharged.”

The trial magistrate Mr. Kotoku however discharged the eight as prayed by the State.

He said the court consents to the discharge of the accused persons.

Compensation

George Bernard Shaw, lawyer for the accused persons said since May 29, his clients have gone through intolerable anguish, trauma, trials and tribulations.

Lawyer Shaw said it had been a long journey for the suspects and that the application for compensation would not be brought just for the sake of it but to help in the criminal justice.

He argued that the police would have arrested the right culprits if they had their facts right.

Shaw made an appeal for the State to provide lawyers for the accused persons.

He said the case was going to be a daunting one and that the accused person have also not been able to get lawyers because he has been providing pro bono services.

Ms. Keelson, responding, said the Attorney General would wait for the application for compensation to be filed by the lawyer and respond accordingly.

She disclosed that the State would provide lawyers for the accused persons after the committal proceeding at the court.

By: Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson/ thePublisher