Court discharges seven suspects in Mahama's lynching

Cape Coast, June 19, GNA - Seven persons standing trial in connection with the lynching of Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama at a Cape Coast Magistrate court were on Monday discharged by the court.

The Prosecution, Police Chief Inspector Charles Anku said national headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police has taken over investigations of the case.

He therefore pleaded with the court to discharge the accused persons for them to be handed over to the national command for further investigation.

The court, presided over by Ms Rita Amoaniwaa Edusah, accordingly granted the request and discharged the accused persons.

The counsel for the accused persons, George Benard Shaw however expressed his dissatisfaction with the manner in which the case was being handled.

He told the court that he had been denied access to his clients after several efforts, while prosecution had also denied some of the accused persons who sustained wounds access to health care.

According to him, such practices was against natural justice and should not be entertained.

The court ordered the prosecution to ensure that the wounded were sent to the hospital for treatment adding that it was only when they were fit that they could stand trial.

She also asked them to allow their counsels to have access to suspects.

It could be recalled that on Monday May 29, Major Mahama was gruesomely murdered at Denkyira-obuasi by some youth of the area who alleged he was an armed robber.

Seven persons were arrested in connection with the act and were subsequently arraigned before the court on Thursday June 1 and they were remanded.

At least 50 residents of Denkyira-Obuasi have so far been arrested in connection with the act while the Police continued to search for more suspects.

They have all been put before various courts and have been remanded. GNA

By Afedzi Abdullah/ Isaac Arkoh, GNA