Afoko: "I Did Not Write My Statement"

Gregory Afoko, accused of murdering the former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP),has told an Accra High Court that he did not write his cautioned statement to the police.

He said 'the policeman wrote the statement for me, I could not see his hand writing very well and at the time I was not having my spectacles. So he finished, said I should sign and I signed.'

Afoko made this statement during cross examination by the Prosecution led by Mr Mathew Amponsah, on Tuesday in Accra.

He said he gave the statement on May 22, in the presence of his brother Lawyer Amoak Afoko and an independent witness, one Issah, a worker at the Tamale Police station who was called to come and witness.

When asked to explain whether his brother was not there when he gave the statement and it was read to him, he answered that he did not call his brother to come, but he only came in to check up on him, because, they had moved me to Tamale.

'The policeman who wrote the statement read it to the labourer and gave it to me to sign'

He earlier told the court that, he was related to Adams Mahama, because he (Afoko's) grandfather who was the Chief of Sandema gave Mr. Adams grandfather land to settle on and he got married to one of his sisters.

He said he and Mr Adams knew themselves very well and worked with his senior brother John Afoko together some time ago.

He said Mr Paul Afoko, the Former National Chairman of the NPP was his senior brother, the first born of his mother and father. He was elected as the National Chairman in 2014.

The accused said on May 14, 2015, Mr Paul Afoko and Mr Kwabena Agyepong, who was then the General Secretary of the NPP, went to Bolgatanga to hold a meeting for the NPP Regional Executives at the Azonson guest house, but he did not attend that meeting because he was not an executive member.

He said he heard the meeting was stopped by Mr Adams, but did not take any offense and never decided to avenge his action. And that it was not true that he and Asabke poured the acid on Mr Adams in the night of May 20, 2015.

He denied that he and Asabke organised series of meetings with the NPP youth in Bolgatanga to incite them against Mr Adams, saying he could not do that because, they were a family, both in the same party struggling for power then and all they needed was the power so there was no need reducing their numbers.

He said they never had evil intentions to kill Mr Adams and the NPP because he went round to galvanize votes for the party since childhood and he did so with his late father and everyone around knew he went round to do that.

Afoko told the court that, on May 16, 2015 there was an NPP youth meeting, attended by other people including Asabke, Dominic Apaya and Awafo Akelesiya, but they had no venue so they asked him for help and he provided his father's hotel where the party usually hold its meetings.

He said he and Asabke were not involved in organising the meeting, but he attended and the agenda was about the welfare of the party, because, it was the jurisdiction of Dominic, Awafo, Asabke and his brothers, so they came to discuss what had happened the previous day, but did not attack anyone.

'From sources we all heard that there was some misunderstanding between our party executives, so we were coming together to see how to let peace prevail.'

He however accepted the fact that, he was the one who at the meeting proposed that NPP youth wing be formed for the party in Bolgatanga, because, they all came from different areas within Bolgatanga and so they wanted a central point where they could all meet to discuss the welfare of the party.

He also agreed that he proposed that, the said youth wing be named after his senior brother, Mr Paul Afoko, since everyone was asked for their suggestions and he gave his.

When asked where he met Asabke and Dominic on May 21, 2015, he said he, Dominic and Asabke were seated at the table, when they invited Awafo Akelesiya because they lived in the same area and knew him.

He said they sat outside the drinking spot, which formed part of Dominic's house and bought beer for them.

When asked what time Asabke arrived at the drinking spot, he answered that he could not recollect, but he knew that he didn't have much time to waste there, since he had to go and administer medication to his sick father.

He said the main purpose of meeting at the spot was to go and hand two party flags to Dominic, but could not also recollect the time he left there because when he got there he bought them some bottle of drinks each. After they finished drinking the first bottle of beer, Akelesiya was invited and I ordered for another set of drinks for them. There I realised that time was running out so I left.

He reiterated that he got home at exactly 2000 hours as he said earlier because when he got home he parked his my motor bike, locked it upon entering the house, he realised it was due time to administer medication to his father.

He denied the assertion by the prosecution that it was not true that he sat at the drinking spot up to 2300 hours that night and also that he left the drinking spot together with the three others at about that time.

'After buying the second round of drinks for the three of them, I realised it was getting late in going home, so I said goodbye to them. When I sat on my motor bike to leave, Asabke said he would like to drop at his junction so he took his bottle of beer, sat behind the motor and he went off. Meanwhile, the drinking spot is at Dominic's house, so I do not know how they dispersed.'

He told the court that on May 20, immediately he administered the medication to his father around 2000 hours, he did not go out again.

At this stage the case was adjourned to November 30, for continuation of cross examination.

Afoko, a farmer, is alleged to have killed Mr Mahama on May 20, 2015, and he is being held on the charges of conspiracy to commit crime to wit murder and murder.

He has pleaded not guilty before the Court, which is also composed of a seven-member jury.

It was alleged that Afoko carried out the act with Alandgi Asabke, who is on the run.