The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame says the difference in the verdicts of the two accused persons in the Adams Mahama murder trial shows ‘severe challenges’ in the country’s jury system.
According to the A-G, these challenges should not be allowed to fester and he is taking steps to remedy the situation.
In a press release he issued on Thursday, April 27, Mr Yeboah Dame said “The instant case, particularly the unanimous verdict regarding the guilt of the 2nd accused for conspiracy to commit murder, while at the same time delivering a hung verdict in the case of 1st accused on the same charge, highlights the severe challenges with the jury system, a situation the Attorney-General is taking steps to remedy as part of proposal for amendment of many parts of the criminal procedure laws of Ghana,” the A-G said in the press release.
A 7-member jury on Thursday returned a 4-3 Not Guilty verdict for the charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder against Gregory Afoko.
The jurors could not reach a unanimous 7-0 verdict to prove Mr. Afoko was guilty, leaving the state with an option prosecute him all over again.
The jurors, however, convicted his Co-accused Asake Alangdi on the charge of Conspiracy to commit murder and he is to face death by hanging.
Mr. Afoko who is the brother of former NPP Chairman Paul Afoko, has for the past eight years been standing trial over the murder of Adams Mahama, former NPP Upper East regional chairman.
Lawyers for Asabke Alangdi have questioned the verdict, while Anthony Namoo, lawyer for the family of Adams Mahama, the NPP Upper East regional chairman said to have been murdered, is not enthused by the outcome either.
“We are of the view that compelling evidence was led by the prosecution and so we are not happy about the outcome.
“But whatever it is, it wasn’t also a very bad case because we have a mistrial 4-3 and having one person convicted and sentenced to death, I think that is fine,” he told JoyNews.
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