Major Mahama’s suspected killers transferred into prison custody

The Accra Central District Court yesterday ordered the transfer of the 19 people accused of killing Major Maxwell Adam Mahama from police custody to prison custody.

The change of custody, according to the presiding magistrate, Mr Ebenezer Kweku Ansah, was to ensure maximum security of the accused.

“They are remanded in prison custody for their own protection,’’ Mr Ansah said.

The prosecution had prayed the court for the transfer, citing security reasons.

According to the prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr George Amegah, the accused were currently detained at different police stations.

“For security reasons, we believe they will be safe when they are in prison custody,’’ he said.

The request by the prosecution was initially opposed by the lawyer for the accused, Mr Charles Owusu Juanah, who argued that the transfer of his clients to the Nsawam Prison would make it very difficult for him to make contact with them.

He later agreed, but requested the prosecution to speed up its case for the committal process to begin and also for the eventual trial to commence.

“This case is a serious matter for the whole country and we all want a resolution. At the same time, the accused persons cannot be held indefinitely. Their rights must be respected,’’ he argued.

Docket to A-G

Meanwhile, DSP Amegah informed the court that the police were done with the duplicate docket on the case and were in the process of forwarding it to the Attorney-General’s (A-G’s) Department for advice.

“The other 14 accused persons who are on the run are also being sought after,’’ he said.

Hearing continues on August 3, 2017.

Facts

The 19 accused persons, including the Assembly Member for Denkyira-Obuasi, William Baah, and one female, Vivian Asahene, have been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

The facts, as presented by DSP Amegah, 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 activities.

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.

The prosecutor said at 9:25 a.m., the military officer got to the outskirts of Denkyira-Obuasi, where a number of women were selling foodstuffs by the roadside.

He stopped to interact with the women and even bought some snails, which he left in their custody to be taken upon 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 Major Mahama’s 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 prosecutor said.

He said 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”.