High Court finally grants Gregory Afoko bail after nearly 10 years in remand

Gregory Afoko, accused of murdering former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Adams Mahama, has been granted bail by an Accra High Court after spending nearly a decade in remand.

The court set bail at GHS 500,000, requiring two sureties who must justify their assets with landed property. Additionally, Afoko must report to the Regional Crime Officer in Accra or the Director-General of the CID every two weeks until a final verdict is reached.

This decision follows a third bail application filed by Afoko’s legal team on 17th February, which was heard by Justice Marie-Louise Simmons.

Background

In April 2024, a seven-member jury presided over by Justice Merley Afua Wood, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court judge, unanimously found Asabke Alangdi guilty of conspiring with Gregory Afoko to murder Mahama in 2015. However, the jury delivered a 4-3 verdict of ‘not guilty’ on Afoko’s charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

This meant both men were acquitted of murder, but Alangdi was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and subsequently sentenced to death. He has since appealed the ruling.

Case Details

According to the prosecution, on 14th May 2015, Paul Afoko (Gregory Afoko’s brother) and Kwabena Agyepong, then National Chairman and General Secretary of the NPP, arrived in Bolgatanga for a meeting.

The deceased, Adams Mahama, allegedly orchestrated an attack on them using a group of thugs, disrupting a planned campaign meeting at the Azumsolon Guest House. The meeting was reportedly arranged without Mahama’s knowledge and was seen as opposing the then-flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Although the police eventually restored order, Afoko, angered by the incident, confronted Mahama but was chased away by another group of thugs.

Formation of Another Group

Following this incident, Gregory Afoko and Asabke Alangdi allegedly formed a youth group to protect individuals perceived to be against Nana Akufo-Addo.

The prosecution stated that the accused held multiple meetings with this group. Then, on 20th May 2015, they allegedly ambushed Mahama outside his residence and attacked him with a substance suspected to be acid.

Mahama’s wife also suffered burns on her chest and breast while trying to assist her husband. When she asked what had happened, Mahama reportedly named Gregory Afoko and Asabke Alangdi as his attackers.

Aftermath

Mahama succumbed to his injuries while being airlifted to Accra for treatment. Afoko was later arrested and led the police to Asabke’s father’s house.

However, by the time police traced Asabke’s residence, he had fled with his wife, abandoning their baby in the process.

A post-mortem examination confirmed that Mahama died from shock lung syndrome and extensive acid burns.