Pathologist Testifies In Mobilla's Case

The trial of the alleged killers of Alhaji Issa Mobilla, late Northern Regional Chairman of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) has bounced back after a short break at the Fast Track High Court.

The accused persons, Corporal Yaw Appiah and Private Eric Modzaka, are facing two charges of conspiracy to murder and murder of Mobilla on December 9, 2004.

The accused persons have denied the charges before the reconstituted seven-member jury at the Accra Fast Track High Court presided over by Mr Justice Mustapha Habib Logoh.

Mounting the witness box, Dr Kofi Adomako Boateng, a Pathologist of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, narrated to the court how he conducted autopsy on the deceased at the Tamale Central Hospital Mortuary on December 17, 2004.

Led in evidence by Mrs Merley Wood, a Chief State Attorney, Dr Boateng said on December 17, 2004 he went to the Tamale Hospital Mortuary in the company of many people including some relations of the deceased.

Dr Boateng said before commencing the autopsy he asked the relations of the deceased to identify the body after which he examined the body.

The Pathologist, who is also the fifth prosecution witness, said he recorded all that he saw and asked the Police photographer to take photographs of the deceased before commencing the autopsy.

Before conducting the autopsy, Dr Boateng said he detected that the deceased, who was of average height and aged 50, had multiple bruises on his upper part of his chest and abrasions on both shoulders, thigh and legs.

He attributed Mobilla’s death to the collapse of the lungs, fractured ribs and multiple abrasions.

According to him, the fractured ribs could be as a result of stamping or kicking in the chest.

Answering questions under cross examination by Mr Thaddeus Sory, counsel for accused persons, Dr Boateng, who is a Senior Lecturer of the Medical School at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, said he did not know who caused the abrasions on the deceased's body.

He said he only read about the death Mobilla in the dailies which indicated that deceased died under “suspicious circumstances.”

Dr Boateng admitted that he could also not tell how and who caused the bruises on the body of the deceased.

According to him, his findings on the deceased were based on what he saw at the Tamale Central Hospital Mortuary.

Alhaji Mobilla was arrested by the police on December 9, 2004 for allegedly supplying the youth in Tamale with guns to foment trouble.

While in custody, the police claimed they received information that his followers and sympathisers were mobilising to free him.

The deceased was consequently transferred from police cells to the Kamina Military Barracks and handed over to the three accused persons.

According to the prosecution, Alhaji Mobilla died in military custody three hours after he had been handed over to the accused persons, who were on duty that day.

The pathologist’s report revealed that the deceased was sent to the hospital dead and that he died from multiple wounds.

The case has been adjourned to November 1.