The Criminal Division, “3” of the Accra High Court, has refused a bail application filed by lawyers for Gregory Afoko.
Mr. Afoko is standing trial for the alleged murder of the late Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Adams Mahama, in 2015.
Arguing reasons for the denial, Her Ladyship Justice Mrs Afua Merley Wood believes there has been no unreasonable delay in the trial of Afoko.
In her estimation, the period which the suspect has spent in custody has been “productively spent” in conducting two trials.
Moreover, Her Ladyship has determined that ordinarily, assigning a case to a court does not take so long that it would cause any significant gap between the last trial and the next one.
On April 27, this year, a seven-member jury returned a 4-3 not guilty in favour of Afoko, whose alleged accomplice, Alangdi Asabkeb, was sentenced to death after the jury found him guilty of conspiracy to commit crime and murder.
Pursuant to the law, the trial judge, Justice Mrs Afua Merley Wood, a Court of Appeal Judge, sitting with additional responsibility, ordered the retrial of Afoko.
Counsel submitted that the continuous detention of the applicant is “unfair, is without any justification and is unconscionable.”
Mr Charway reminded the court that there is a constitutional right to bail of an accused person, clearly stated in Article 14(4) of the 1992 Constitution.
Source: MyNewsGh.com
