Acid attack: Afoko’s brother charged with murder; remanded

An Accra Magistrate Court has remanded the junior brother of New Patriotic Party Chairman Paul Afoko to Police custody.

Gregory Afoko is standing trial for the murder of Upper East Region chairman of the party, Adams Mahama.

Mr Mahama died last week Thursday after he was attacked with acid the night before. He has been buried according to Islamic traditions.

Two suspects, including Gregory Afoko, brother of the party chairman has been fingered for the attack. He has since been arrested and hauled before a magistrate’s court in Accra.

Joy News’ Kwakye Afreh Nuamah who was in court said there was heated arguments between the two opposing counsel over a bail application brought by defence attorneys.

The state prosecutor Superintendent Francis Baah while reading the charges mentioned the suspect as being the brother of the NPP chair, Paul Afoko, a comment the defence counsel, Stephen Ampah Korsah was not happy about.

The defence counsel quickly interjected drawing the court’s attention that it was unnecessary to link the NPP chair to the case because he had nothing to do with it.

The prosecution then appealed to the Magistrate, Worlanyo Kotoku to keep the suspect on remand until they have concluded with the investigation, a request Mr Korsah rose against.

He said the prosecution had no basis to appeal for remand since it has no evidence to substantiate the charges of murder leveled against his client.

But the prosecution said it has prima facie evidence but needed time to conclude its full investigations.

Superintendent Baah reminded the counsel on the opposing side that murder offences are non-bailable and the suspect had to be kept in police custody.

The Magistrate, Worlanyo Kotoku ruled in favour of the prosecution and admitted the suspect to police custody to reappear on July 9, 2015.

Joy News’ Afreh reported the suspect looked completely disoriented throughout the trial and looked even more disappointed over the ruling.

With his dreadlocked hair, the suspect tried to hide his face from the intrusive camera lenses of journalists when he was being taken in and out of court.

Family members were present to sympathise with the suspect, Afreh reported.

The second suspect, yet to be named, is said to have fled the Upper East with his wife and has left his baby behind.

Credit:myjoyonline