12 Sentenced To Life Imprisonment

…Over Murder of Major Mahama

Twelve persons out of 14, including a former assembly member of Denkyira Obuasi in the Central Region, who were standing trial over the murder of Major Maxwell Mahama sometime in 2017, have been found guilty of the offence of murder.

A seven-member panel returned a unanimous guilty verdict after nearly seven years of trial.

The convicts include William Baah, a former assemblyman for the area; Bernard Asamoah, aka Daddy; Kofi Nyarko, aka Abortion; Akwasi Baah, Kwame Tuffour, Joseph Appiah Kubi and Michael Anim.

The rest are John Bosie, Akwasi Baah, Charles Kwaning, Emmanuel Badu and Kwadwo Anim.

However, two persons, alongside the 12,were acquitted and discharged, after the jury returned a not guilty verdict in their favour. They are Bismark Donkor and Bismarck Abanga.

The verdict was given yesterday Monday, January 29, 2024 by an Accra High Court.

They were standing trial on charges ranging from murder, abetment to murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Summary of the Verdict:

The summary of the verdict, with regard to the other accused persons, is as follows:

Bernard Asamoah A2 – Guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and murder (Unanimous)

A3 Kofi Nyame – Guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and murder (Unanimous)

A4 Akwasi Baah – Guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and murder (Unanimous)

A5 Kwame Tuffour – Guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and murder (Unanimous)

A6 Joseph Appiah Kubi – Guilty on both charges (unanimous)

A7 Michael Anim – Guilty on both charges (Unanimous)

A8 Bismark Donkor – Not guilty of conspiracy to commit murder (Unanimous)

A9 John Bosie – Guilty of conspiracy (unanimous)

A10 Akwasi Asante – Guilty of both (Unanimous)

A11 Charles Kwaning – Guilty of both (Unanimous)

A12 Emmanuel Badu – Guilty of conspiracy (Unanimous)

A13 BismarkAbanga – Not guilty of conspiracy to commit murder (unanimous)

A14 Kwadwo Animah – Guilty of conspiracy to commit murder (Unanimous)

BC: 12 accused persons found guilty, two others acquitted and discharged.

INDEX: MAJOR MAHAMA TRIAL VERDICT

2,3,4,5,6,7,10,11 – Facing murder charge

8,9,12,13,14 – conspiracy to commit murder

A1 – Abetment

Background

Major Mahama was killed at Denkyira Obuasi in the Central Region on May 29, 2017.

He was said to have been lynched during a morning walk that led him to Denkyira Obuasi.

A video recording of how he was supposedly lynched went viral on various social media platforms, sending shockwaves among the public.

Facts

The facts, as presented by the prosecution, were that Major Mahama was the commander of a military detachment, stationed at Diaso in the Upper Denkyira West District in the Central Region, to check illegal mining.

At 8 a.m. on May 29, 2017, Major Mahama, wearing civilian clothes but with his sidearm, left his detachment base for a 20-kilometre jogging.

At 9:25 a.m., the military officer got to the outskirts of Denkyira Obuasi where a number of women were selling foodstuff by the roadside.

He stopped to interact with the women and even bought some snails which he left in their custody to be taken up on his return from jogging.

While he was taking out money from his pocket to pay for the snails, the woman from whom he had bought the snails and a few others saw his sidearm tucked to his waist.

Soon after he left, one of the women telephoned the assembly member for Denkyira Obuasi to report what they had seen.

“Without verifying the information, the assembly member mobilised the accused persons and others, some now at large, to attack the military officer,” the prosecution stated.

It added that the mob met Major Mahama near the Denkyira Obuasi cemetery and without giving him the opportunity to explain and identify himself, “attacked him with implements such as clubs, cement blocks and machetes, killed him and burnt a portion of his body.”

Source: Anchorghana.com