No Evidence Against Mahama ‘Killers’As Judge Refuses To Discharge 6

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Ms. Gloria Akuffo says the State is no longer interested in prosecuting six of the 22 persons in police custody over the murder of late Major Maxwell Adams Mahama.

There are however some 16 more suspecs still standing trial over the murder.

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

They are: Yaw Annor aka Agbahowa, mason; Philip Badu, prisons assistant; Kwame Agyei, farmer; Anthony Amoah aka Kwaku Manu/Amis, ‘Okada’ operator; Solomon Sackey, carpenter and Vivian Sahene aka Mafia, unemployed.

The six are 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 had provisionally charged with conspiracy to murder and murder.

Major Mahama was the Commander of a military detachment stationed at Diaso in the Upper Denkyira West District of the Central Region to check the activities of illegal miners commonly known as galamseyers.

He was lynched by a mob which reportedly took him for an armed robber.

The State had at the initial stages of the trial discharged 13 accused persons bringing the number to 22 further trimming it down to 16 by the latest move.

A-G Stopped

At the hearing yesterday, Ms. Keelson told the court presided over by relieving magistrate Worlanyo Kotoku that she had been instructed by the A-G to withdraw the charges against the six persons.

She stated that the state had filed its bill of indictment on Monday ready to start the committal proceedings at the next adjourned date adding that the accused persons who have not been served with copies of the document would be served before the next court date.

According to the Principal State Attorney, the six persons who have not been covered by the bill of indictment must be freed.

Quoting Section 59 of the Criminal And Other Offences Act, she indicated that any time before judgement of the court in a case the A-G could withdraw charges against preferred against accused persons.

Ms. Keelson stressed that coming under the instruction of the A-G, they do not have the evidence to prosecute the six, urging the court to discharge them.

No Way 

Insisting on making an oral application for the discharge of the six, Mr. Kotoku disagreed stressing that there was no copy of the bill of indictment on the case docket before the court although the prosecutor insisted same had been filed at the court registry.

The court had also ordered the A-G to serve the accused persons copies of the bill of indictment arguing that the court would prefer that the A-G did the right thin.

The magistrate however, did not accede to the request by the state to release the accused persons and adjourned hearing until December 19, 2017.

On Remand

Other accused persons on remand are; William Baah aka Misky, teacher/assemblyman; Akwasi Baah aka Baya, farmer; Kwame Tuffour aka Asowonan, driver; Akwasi Asante, farmer; Joseph Appiah Kubi aka Kum Dede, driver; Kwadwo Animah, mason; Kofi Nyame aka Abortion, farmer and Michel Anim aka Nana Anim.

The others are Bernard Asamoah aka Daddy, drivers’ apprentice; Ebenezer Appiah aka Akwesi Adjei; Charles Quainin aka Kwesi Boah, vulcanizer; Bismark Donkor aka Dada, farmer; John Bosie aka Abodie, driver’s apprentice and Bismarck Abanga.

On The Run

The police are currently on the heels of Yaw Amakwah, Kwabena Kenkeba, Tikwa, Yaw Boadu, Fuseni, Madam Deedikor, Eric Asante aka Yaw Agade, Nana Kwadjo aka Naa Ajo, Kweku Diesel, Kofi Ahenkora, Solo, Rasta and Wiser.

By: Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson/ thePublisher