Gregory Afoko is a political prisoner – James Agalga

Member of Parliament for Builsa North, James Agalga has said that the current twist in the case of Gregory Afoko is a deliberate attempt by the state to frustrate the process of granting him bail.

He added that the prime suspect in the murder of the late Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Adams Mahama is now a political prisoner.

An Accra High Court presided over by Justice George Buadi in March this year after listening to the arguments granted Afoko bail in the sum of GH¢500,000.00 with two sureties, one to be justified.

But for over 4 months the order was disregarded by the state with two attempts to have the decision reversed, at the High court and later the Appeal’s court which both failed.

However, on Monday, 15th July, 2019 an Accra High court rescinded its decision to grant the suspect bail.

Reacting to the subject, Member of Parliament for Builsa North, James Agalga said Gregory Afoko’s case is clearly political.

“Right from day one the attitude of the state was very appalling in the face of the grant of bail to Gregory Afoko, so they continue to resist the grant of bail and use every means possible to frustrate the process of granting him bail. I think that Gregory Afoko is now a political prisoner and that is most unfortunate”, he said.

He also wanted to find out in what capacity the court sat to adjudicate over the matter which application was previously quashed by the court of appeal.

“The high court are of coordinate jurisdiction that is a fact but when one high court has acted and made decision with regards to bail, the same procedure is used and applications are repeated before the court of appeal to try to have the bail orders quashed, the court of appeal says no then you now go back and bring up an application to rescind the bail orders granted by one high court, so in what capacity did the other high court sit and adjudicate over the matter. Was is then acting as an appellate court or what?” He questioned

“…I think this is a clear case of abuse of the procedures provided for in law, to deny a citizen of this country bail when the fact are so compelling that the state ought to have released Gregory Afoko on bail. There is no justification”, he continued. Mr. Agalga added that the president has failed as the rule of law no longer works in this country.

“The rule of law is no longer working in this country. President Nana Addo who was once taunted as a human rights advocate has lost it completely. Today in this country the fundamental human rights of a citizen has been trampled upon that is why I say Gregory Afoko is a political prisoner”, he stated.

Arrest and trial

Gregory Afoko was arrested in May 2015 on for allegedly pouring acid on the Upper East Regional Chairman of the NPP, Adams Mahama, leading to his untimely death.

He is alleged to have conspired with Asabke Alangdi who was recently arrested from his hideout in the Ivory Coast, to commit the heinous crime.

He has been in custody since his arrest and efforts by his lawyer to get him admitted to bail proved futile on many occasions until in March this year.