January 25

02
CONTENT
DAILY HERITAGE THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2018
DAILY QUOTE
Nothing in the world is more
common than unsuccessful
people with talent
— Anonymous
ANNIVERSARIES
06 March, Independence Day
30 March, Good Friday
02 April, Easter Monday
Published by: EIB
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WORLD
Trump to meet
Kagame at Davos
POLITICS
Polytechnic
to be renamed after
Dr Hilla Limann
– Prez Akufo-Addo
BUSINESS
PG.04
PPI increases to
8.9% in December
2017
SPORTS
PG.11
Accra Sports Stadium
not closed
down — Sports
Ministry
PG.10
PG.15
Afoko lied to police —Witness
BY MUNTALLA INUSAH
muntalla.inusah@dailyheritage.com.gh
DOMINIC APAAYA Baba, a
New Patriotic Party (NPP)
Polling Station Secretary for
the Zorbisi Electoral Area in
Bolgatanga in the Upper
East Region, has told the
High Court in Accra that Gregory Afoko,
who is standing trial for the death of the
NPP Regional Chairman, Adam Mahama,
lied to the police.
Baba is the fifth prosecution witness in
the murder cases called by the prosecution
after Hajia Zenaibu Adams, widow of
Adams, Zuweira Issaka, Quinn Asigir and
Towffik Murtala, who have all given evidence
as part of a list of 12 witnesses the
State intends to call.
Led in evidence by Mr Matthew Amponsah,
Chief State Attorney, in the court,
presided over by Justice L.L. Mensah, Baba
said what Afoko told the police when he was
arrested was false.
“I gave a statement to the police. At the
police station, the police told me that when
they arrested Gregory Afoko, he told them
that on May 20, he was asleep at 8:00.p.m,
but I said no because at 8:00.p.m, I was with
him (Gregory Afoko), Asabke Alandge and
Awafo at the Lovers Inn Drinking Spot and
we left there at about 10:00.p.m,” he told the
court.
Concerning Asabke, who is at large, Baba
said, “I know Asabke Alangde and we live in
the same Electoral Area in Tanzur/Zorbisi
electoral area of Bolga. He is an NPP member
and an organiser for Junior Staff Quarters
Polling Station.
The witness also told the court that, “I
knew Adams Mahama for about 10 years
and he was a strong NPP member before he
died. He was elected as the regional chairman
of NPP in 2014 and I knew how his
death came about.”
• Gregory Afoko
12:00p.m. on May 15, 2015
When asked to the tell court where he
was on May 15, 2015 at 12:00p.m. he said, “I
was at a funeral ground at Zure, a suburb of
Bolgatanga. At about 12:00.p.m. I had a call
from Gregory Afoko, but Asabke spoke to
me on the phone inviting me to a meeting at
Central Hotel, located in the Bolga township
along the Commercial Street. At about
3p.m., I got to the Central Hotel.
“I then called and in there I met Afoko,
Awafo Akelesiaya. Francis Azure and others
numbering 30. Asabke started to speak but I
stopped and said we should pray to God before
we start. After the prayer, Asabke then
said, they are calling us for an NPP youth
meeting to see our way forward in the party.
NPP’s disgrace
According to him, “Gregory Afoko also
got up and spoke and he said they were calling
us for this meeting because of what happened
at Azonsolon Guest House was a
disgrace to the NPP national chairman, Paul
Afoko, and the General Secretary
KwabenaAgyepong.
“So they were calling us for the meeting
to organise this youth group so that anytime
these national executives were coming we
[will] meet them at Wingongo and lead them
in Bolga town.
He said Afoko then suggested that the
youth group should be called Paul Afoko
Youth Group, but some of us objected to it,
so the meeting ended without a name and
was rescheduled to May 24, 2015.
When asked to tell the court what happened
on May 14, 2015 at Azonsolon Guest
House, he said “the national chairman, Mr
Paul Afoko, and National Secretary, Mr
Kwabena Agyepong, organised a meeting
and the regional chairman Adams Mahama
stopped the meeting.”
At Lovers Inn Drinking Spot
He said, “I was at a bar called Lovers Inn,
very close to my house. I received a call from
Gregory Afoko and Asabke spoke to me
asking of my whereabouts. I told him I was
at Lovers Inn Drinking Spot.
“Gregory collected the phone from
Asabke inviting me to join them at their
table at that same bar. He then directed me
to where they were seated and I joined them.
Accused requested one bottle of Star Beer
for me. While drinking and chatting, Gregory
then told me to do well to attend the
scheduled meeting on 24th May, 2015.
“For about 30 minutes, Awafo Akelesiaya
also joined us. Gregory bought him a bottle
of Star Beer and told him to do well and attend
the meeting on May 24. He asked me if
I have a name for the group, I said no. He
suggested to me the name to be called NPP
Youth Action Wing to which I said okay. We
were there until about 10:00.p.m.
Police hunt
According to him, “On May 21, I missed
Asabke's call at about 6:00.a.m. and on calling
back he told me police came to his house
with Afoko looking for him, and he could
not be traced. We were on the call and the
line dropped.
“Few minutes later, I was moving from
my house and I met Asabke by the roadside,
very close to my house. He continued with
the story that police came with accused looking
for him, but they and Asabke rode towards
the Bolga township.
“Two kilometers from Lovers Inn and
Bolga [they] did not find him. But the police
said that he (Asabke) and Afoko poured acid
on NPP chairman. I then asked him whether
he knew something about it. He said no. I
asked him for about three times and he
replied no.
“I then advised him that if he knew nothing
about it, then he should report himself
to the police and should not wait for the police
to come looking for him the second
time. He was looking worried and said okay.
Since then I have not seen him.”
Under cross-examination
Under cross-examination from defence
counsel led by Osafo Buabeng, the witness
told the court he gave three different statements
to the police on May 27, 29 ans 30.
He also admitted that he gave those statements
as a suspect and that the distance between
his house and Asabke's house is about
half a kilometre and that of Afoko from his
house would be about two and a half.
Sitting continues today, January 25, 2018,
for further cross-examination of PW 5.