The High Court in Accra has discharged Gregory Afoko and Asabke Alangde, the two accused in the murder and conspiracy to commit murder case linked to the death of the late Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alhaji Adams Mahama.
The decision comes after repeated delays and the prosecution’s absence in court.
The trial, now in its third iteration, began following a hung jury in the second trial. In that earlier trial, Asabke Alangde was sentenced to death by hanging after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, while the jury returned a hung verdict on the murder charge. Gregory Afoko, on the other hand, faced a hung jury on both charges.
Subsequently, the court had ordered a retrial for Gregory Afoko on both charges and for Asabke Alangde on the murder charge.
Despite pleas being entered in January 2024 and testimony from several witnesses, the case was repeatedly postponed due to multiple adjournment requests by the Attorney General’s office.
On Monday, December 1, during what was approximately the seventh or eighth adjournment, the court noted the absence of a prosecutor to provide an update on the proceedings. In response to the prosecution’s inaction, the presiding judge discharged both accused.
The jurors were also formally discharged, with the court expressing appreciation for their service throughout the protracted proceedings.
