Prosecutors in the case of Gregory Afoko and Asabke Alangde, who are accused of murder, have finished their case after questioning 16 witnesses. The acid attack that killed New Patriotic Party (NPP) Upper East Regional Chairman Adams Mahama is being blamed on Afoko and Alangde. The two have pled not guilty to conspiracy and murder, and are being held in lawful custody pending the outcome of the trial. The prosecution, led by Mrs Marina Appiah-Opare, a Chief State Attorney, said in court on Tuesday, June 14, that the state’s case had been closed when Chief Inspector Augustus Nkrumah, the 16th Prosecution Witness, was discharged. Before the court released the investigator, Asabke Alangde (2nd Accused lawyer )’s Andrew Kudzo Vortia interrogated him.
Mrs Opare, the Chief State Attorney, informed the court presided over by Justice Efua Merley Wood, a Justice of the Court of Appeal with additional responsibilities as a High Court judge, “My Lord, we will not call any further witness.” “My Lord, before we complete our case, I’d like to draw the court’s attention to the fact that PW7 – Chief Inspector Blay presented in evidence photocopies of the 1st Accused Person’s investigation caution statement during his testimony.” She stated that the prosecutor had previously informed the court that “he will produce the original statement to replace the photocopies in due course,” and that “this is the statement date 22 May 2016 obtained from A1.”
She hinted, “We brought the original copies and we want to replace them with photocopies.” After the defence counsel stated that they had no problems, the original document was allowed to replace the photocopies.
A legal document
The Chief State Attorney also spoke to the court and jury about the ‘Statutory Document,’ which detailed the 2019 Kaneshie District Court committal procedures. “My Lord, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, before the accused persons were arraigned before the District Court for what we called committal processes, they were arraigned before the District Court for what we called committal proceedings.” Mrs Appiah-Opare explained, “This was done… and captured in a document we termed Statutory Document, and before the prosecution ends its case, it is expected to present in evidence the statutory statement.” She stated that both accused persons confirmed that they were served with a charge statement while giving details of what was documented in the Statutory Document. They also asserted an alibi defence, claiming that they were not present at the crime scene at the time the incident occurred.
Submission of No case to answer
Following the conclusion of their case, the accused people’ lawyers Stephen Sorwah Charway (A1) and Andrew Kudzo Vortia (A2) have stated that they will file no case to answer submissions. According to Murtala Inusah of the EIB Network’s Court Correspondent Murtala Inusah, the accused persons are essentially telling the court that there is no case to answer and that the prosecution has not met the legal threshold to prove the commission of a crime in a court of law against them.
By Court
Following a hearing with the parties, Justice Merley Wood ordered the accused to file a no case submission by June 27. The prosecution is also required to react to the no case submission by July 11 at the latest. By July 30, the court is anticipated to make a decision on the application. The case has been rescheduled for June 27, 2022, when the accused will be brought before the court to fulfil the two-week remand requirements for those who have been remanded to Prisons Custody.
