Absence of jury member forces court to adjourn Major Mahama case

The absence of a member of the jury hearing the murder case of the late Major Maxwell Mahama forced the Accra High Court to adjourned proceedings on Monday.

When the case resumed, the court was informed one of the jury members was absent, a causing the judge, Justice Mariama Owusu to adjourne the case.

Cross-examination of one of the witnesses in the case was expected to have continued on Monday when the case was called for hearing to continue.

Fourteen persons are standing trial at the Accra High Court over the killing of Major Mahama, who was an Officer of the 5th Infantry Battalion, at the Burma Camp

He was on duty at Denkyira-Obuasi, when on May 29; some residents, who allegedly mistook him for an armed robber, lynched him.

The mob allegedly ignored his persistent plea that he was an officer of the Ghana Armed Forces.

The accused are William Baah, the Assemblyman of Denkyira Obuasi, Bernard Asamoah alias Daddy, Kofi Nyarko aka Abortion, Akwasi Baah, Kwame Tuffour, Joseph Appiah Kubi, Michael Anim and Bismarck Donkor.

Others are John Bosie, Akwasi Baah, Charles Kwaning, Emmanuel Badu, Bismarck Abanga and Kwadwo Anima.

The Prosecution, led by Mrs Evelyn Keelson, a Senior State Attorney, has so far presented the fourth prosecution witness, who had finished his evidence-in-chief and a cross-examination of him by some defence lawyers in the case.

At the last adjourned date, the fourth prosecution witness, Mr Kojo Nfum, aka Agya Koo, a fuel Seller, told the Court in his evidence that Major Maxwell Mahama begged for mercy, when he was being attacked.

He said he saw blood oozing from the victim’s head but later his body became motionless.

He said that he, subsequently, saw a police van, which came to convey the body.