Gregory Afoko, a farmer accused of murdering Adams Mahama, the former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, has filed a fresh bail application after nearly a decade on remand.
This comes after his previous bail applications were denied, with the court citing no unreasonable delay in his retrial.
Afoko and his co-defendant, Asabke, who was earlier convicted and sentenced to death for conspiracy, are currently facing retrial for murder.
The two have had their plea retaken, and the fifth prosecution witness has already been discharged, with the six expected before the Court presided over by Justice Marie-Louise Simmons.
They are alleged to have poured acid on Adams Mahama, leading to his death on May 20, 2015.
Afoko’s previous trial ended in a hung jury, with a 4-3 not guilty verdict in his favor on April 27, 2023.
The court has ordered a retrial, which is currently underway.
On Monday, February 17, 2925, Justice Marie-Louise Simmons, who is presiding over the retrial, adjourned the case on March 5, 2025, while the jury panel was not properly constituted.
The bail application was filed on February 17, 2025, and is set to be heard on February 21, 2025.
EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, reports that this is Afoko’s third bail application, following previous denials in June and October 2023.
Brief facts
The brief facts of the case, were that on May 14, 2015, Gregory’s brother, Paul Afoko, and Kwabena Agyepong, then national chairman and general secretary, respectively, of the NPP arrived in Bolgatanga for a meeting.
It stated that, the deceased, organised some thugs to violently attack the two, scuttling the planned meeting at the Azumsolon Guest House, for campaigning against the flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and also not notifying him of the meeting.
The situation, according to the prosecution, was later brought under control by the police, adding that the accused, who was then upset, confronted Mahama but was chased out by thugs.
Another group
It also noted that Gregory and Asabke formed another youth group in their bid to protect persons perceived to be against Nana Akufo-Addo.
It said the accused persons 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.
‘The deceased returned home around 11:10 p.m. in his pick-up vehicle, with registration number NR 761 – 14, and immediately he parked the vehicle in front of his house, the suspects went close and signaled him to roll down the glass.
The deceased identified the suspects to be party members and rolled down the glass to talk to them.
Suddenly, the suspects poured the substance suspected to be acid on his head, face and other parts of his body and fled on a motorbike.
‘The deceased started screaming for help and his wife, Hajia Zenabu Adams, went to his aid and managed to bring him out of the vehicle, the prosecution added.
Injuries
According to the prosecution, Mahama’s wife also sustained burns on the right side of her chest and breast while assisting her husband.
It said when she enquired about what had happened to her husband, he told her Gregory and Asabke had attacked him.
Mahama died while being airlifted to Accra for treatment.
Gregory, who was later picked up, led the police to Asabke’s father’s house.
The police later located Asabke’s house but he had then absconded with his wife, abandoning their baby in the process.
A post-mortem report on Mahama said he died of shocked lungs and extensive acid burns.
