One Good Turn Deserves Another

By Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe, Jr., Ph.D.

Garden City, New York

August 18, 2015

E-mail: okoampaahoofe@optimum.net

Actually, I had, on second thoughts, wanted to caption this article "One Bad Turn Deserves Another," for that is exactly the kind of raw deal that Mr. Gregory Afoko gave the slain Upper-East Chairman of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Adams Mahama. The younger brother of NPP National Chairman Mr. Paul Afoko and some two others have been charged with the brutal acid-dousing assassination of Mr. Adams Mahama. The other two named accomplices are Mr. Asabke Alangdi, reported to be on the run with his wife; and Mr. Issah Musah, who is alleged to have purchased the liquefied sulphuric acid that was used in the brutal murder of Mr. Mahama.

In this brief article, our focus is on the rather outrageous decision by Mr. Gregory Afoko's lawyer to secure a bail bond for his client from the Accra Human Rights Court (See "Afoko Denied Bail As Families Clash In Court" Adomonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 8/18/15). It is outrageous because from what the Bolgatanga police and the Attorney-General's office have let on to the public so far, there is overwhelming evidence pointing to the fact of the 50-year-old Mr. Afoko's having actively planned, masterminded and participated in the brutal murder of the former Upper-East's NPP Regional Chairman. I am a bit puzzled as to why the prime suspect was allowed by the judge of the court before whom the prime suspect was first arraigned and charged to seek a bail bond from the Human Rights Division of Ghana's judicial system, in spite of the incriminating evidence.

Of course, I have already questioned the justification for granting Mr. Musah a bail bond in a previous article, and so I do not intend to waste time rehashing the same here. What most justice-loving Ghanaian citizens are sedulously looking forward to is, of course, the scheduled date for the official trial of Mr. Gregory Afoko and his alleged accomplices, as well as even more significantly, the outcome of the same. I am also heartened to learn that the relatives and friends of the slain Mr. Mahama have been going to court in search of justice for their beloved patriarch and firebrand former New Patriotic Party executive operative.

What we want to hear far less of are the violent clashes that were recently reported to have transpired between the relatives of the slain man and those of his alleged killer. The court house is not the place to settle any personal scores; it is a venue from which to peaceably seek justice, as appropriately determined and prescribed by the laws of the land. The great anguish of the Mahama family members, as well as their fury, is quite understandable; but the fact also holds true that when they decided to let the law take care of the alleged killers of their resourceful relative and patriarch, it was with the definitive understanding that both parties would not be ill-advisedly engaged in the sort of violent confrontation reported to have ensued between them at the Accra Human Rights Court.

In the end, both parties and families would also have to come to terms with the fact that they need to re-learn how to live amicably with one another; and also not only make peace, mutually, but even become good friends, neighbors, relatives and fellow political truckers and brethren, once again. I must also, nevertheless, take this rather inauspicious opportunity to express my sincere sympathies to the Afoko family for the recent passing of their quite accomplished and distinguished patriarch. It is rather unfortunate that their old man had to die at such a traumatic moment. It was also rather disappointing to learn that a daughter of the prime suspect had either fainted or collapsed amidst the violent confrontation between the Mahama and Afoko families.

Let us hope that such confrontation never occurs anymore. As I observed in several previous columns on this subject, the need for justice to be afforded the family members, relatives and friends of Mr. Mahama is non-negotiable. But such ministration of justice must also be induced in an atmosphere of utmost civility and solemnity. We shall, of course, have more to constructively talk about in the near future on this subject.

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