Afoko’s case management conference adjourned again

The Case Management Conference (CMC) in the case of Gregory Afoko and Asabke Alagdi who are standing trial for the murder of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Upper East Regional Chairman, Adams Mahama has been adjourned again to January 15, 2020.

The purpose of the CMC is to identify the essential issues in the litigation and to avoid unnecessary, burdensome or duplicative discovery and other pre-trial procedures in the course of preparing for the trial of those issues.

On Monday, the court was expected to commence with the CMC but had to be adjourned because one of the defence lawyers was absent.

Starr FM’s Court Correspondent Muntalla Inusah who was in court also reported that four out of the seven members of the jurors were absent because they “mistaken today’s date to mean January 23, 2020,” the court was informed by one of the jurors present.

Afoko, the first accused persons was seen murmering furiously after the case was adjourned and complaining bitterly to some of his relatives present while he was being taken away.

Afoko and Asabke are facing a murder before Justice Afua Merley Wood at the Accra High Court.

BACKGROUND

Gregory Afoko, one of the men alleged to have conspired to kill the Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alhaji Adams Mahama in 2015.

On March 14, 2019, another Accra High Court, presided over by Justice George Buadi, admitted Afoko to bail in the sum of GHc500,000 with two sureties, one of whom must to be justified.

However, on July 15, another High Court, presided over by Justice Merley Afua Wood, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as a High Court judge rescinded that bail that was granted to Afoko.

The court that is hearing the fresh case rescinded the bail after upholding the arguments by the prosecutor, Ms Marina Appiah Opare, a Chief State State Attorney.

A seven-member Jury has been empanelled.

BRIEF FACTS

Alhaji Mahama suffered severe bodily injuries after a substance suspected to be acid was allegedly poured on him in front of his house in Bolgatanga on May 20, 2015.

He later died from the injuries at the Bolgatanga General Hospital.