January 12

WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH
DAILY HERITAGE FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2018
Why can’t the security agencies contain
the Fulani herdsmen menace?
IT APPEARS our security services
are losing the fight against the lawless
and brutish nomadic herdsmen in the
country.
Though the security apparatus has
set up Operation Cow Leg to flush
out the nomadic herdsmen who are
wreaking havoc on Agogo in the
Ashanti Region, Affram Plains in the
Eastern Region and other parts of the
country, the Fulani herdsmen appear
to be defeating the taskforce.
Days ago, five soldiers were shot at
Agogo by some cruelest Fulani herdsmen
when the soldiers stormed the
grazing area where the herdsmen feed
their cattle. The soldiers were shot at
during an exchange of gunfire with
the nomads.
Many Ghanaians reacted angrily at
the shooting incident and charged the
police to apprehend all the perpetrators.
While the police are busy hunting
the culprits, another reprehensible incident
has occurred at Drobonso in
the Sekyere Afram Plains District of
the Ashanti Region.
According to media reports, two
police officers stationed at Drobonso
were yesterday dawn killed by some
armed men who blocked the road.
A third victim is said to be receiving
treatment at the Okomfo Anokye
Teaching Hospital. The attack is the
second in a week after armed herdsmen
shot at the five soldiers at Agogo.
The chief of Drobonso, Nana
Dwamena Dankwa, according to
media reports, suspects nomadic
herdsmen were behind the attack.
The inference is that there could be
deadly reprisal attacks against the Fulani
herdsmen by the residents of the
affected areas.
The security forces should, therefore,
be on red alert in all flashpoints
where the Fulani herdsmen menace is
rife.
They must also up their strategies
to nip the growing Fulani herdsmen
menace in the bud because it is getting
out of hand and creating the impression
that the security forces are
unable to contain the situation.
Full trial of Major Mahama
‘killers’ begins Feb 15
BY MUNTALLA INUSAH
muntalla.inusah@dailyheritage.com.gh
THE 14 accused persons
being held for
the death of Major
Maxwell Adams Mahama
have been officially
charged and
committed to stand trial at the
High Court for three charges, including
murder.
At their committal proceedings
at the Accra Central Magistrate
Court yesterday, the presiding
judge, His Worship Mr Ebenezer
Kweku Ansah, said per the evidence
before the court the accused
persons must be made to appear
before the High Court to answer
to the three charges levelled
against them.
The trial at the High Court is
expected to start on February 15,
2018 after the State presents 52
exhibits to have them committed.
Who are they?
The 14 accused persons expected
to stand trial are William
Baah, the assembly member;
• Some of the accused persons after court proceedings
Bernard Asamoah, Kofi Nyame,
Akwasi Baah, Kwame Tuffuor,
Joseph Appiah and Michael
Annin.
The rest are Bismark Donkor,
John Bosie, Akwasi Asante,
Charles Kwaning, Emmanuel
Badu, Bismark Abanga and
Kwadwo Nimah
State presents 52 pieces of evidence
State Prosecutors presented 52
pieces of evidence to incriminate
the accused persons, including a
recorded video and pictures of
crime scene.
In the Bill of Indictment, there
were enough evidence, including
pellets, empty cartridges, pictures
from the crime scene, two guns,
partly burnt shirt, a cell phone belonging
to Major Maxwell Mahama,
cement blocks, stick, metal
bar, and stones among other
things against them.
Mr Kweku-Ansah, after perusing
the evidence, said he become
convinced and committed the 14
accused persons to trial at the
High Court.
Accused persons to rely
on Diaso police
Defence counsel, Mr George
Bernard Shaw, told the court that
though they had witnesses to call,
they preferred to withhold the
names and only bring them to
court when needed.
He, however, indicated to the
court that some police officers at
Diaso would be part of the witnesses
they intended to call in the
course of the trial at the High
Court.
Explaining why his clients declined
to comment when offered
the opportunity by the court, Mr
Shaw said per the instructions he
had received, they had nothing to
do with the crime.
“It is their right to comment or
not on the prosecutions’ evidence...we
have made known to
the court that they do not agree
with some of the things that the
prosecutions are alleging,” Mr
Shaw added.
Background
Major Mahama of the 5 Battalion
of Infantry was lynched while
he was on his early morning jogging
on Monday, May 29, 2017.
In a video shot of the incident
and circulated on social media, the
officer was seen surrendering his
weapon before the mob carried
out their dastardly act. The mob
later claimed they mistook him for
an armed robber because he carried
a weapon.
The fallen officer, whom many
have described as decent and gentle,
died on Monday, May 29, after
he was beaten, stoned and burnt
by residents of Denkyira-Obuasi
in the Central Region.
He was posthumously promoted
to the rank of Major on
June 5, by President Nana Addo
Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Parliament in November 2017
approved a bill that will make the
spouse and children of Major Mahama
the State’s responsibility. The
bill was in fulfilment of the President's
promise to the family of
Major Mahama.