The Magistrate, Kwaku Ansah, in committing the suspects, said he believed the prosecution had put forward enough evidence to prove their case against them.

[contextly_sidebar id=”RoFiQyo5DBfGPBpmX5Gr3Byioxr7Ggux”]The prosecution made the court aware of its intention to call fifteen witnesses, and present 52 different pieces of evidence as part of their case when the trial begins at the High Court.

The fourteen suspects, which include the Assembly Member of the area, were part of 52 people who were brought to the Court when the case commenced. After investigations by the police, 38 of the initial suspects were discharged by the court.

The deceased, Major Maxwell Adam Mahama, was lynched with parts of his body burnt by some residents of Denkyira-Obuasi in the Upper West Denkyira District of the Central Region.

According to the prosecution, he was attacked and lynched on suspicion of being an armed robber, while on his daily jogging routine on May 29, 2017, at Denkyira Obuasi.

The late military officer was in the community as part of an anti-illegal mining operation.

–

By: Fred Djabanor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Maj. Mahama killing: Full trial of 14 suspects set for Feb. 15 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Unfortunately, it was one of those days you will feel the vibes outside a club, pay gate fee, enter and find about 15 boys 5 girls in there. It was boring to hell so I left for other places and the result was same

Around 3 am, tired and disappointed, I decided to go home because it didn’t look like it was going to be my night.

Due to paying two gate fees despite budgeting for one, I had just enough  money to pick trotro home

I picked a trotro heading to Lapaz in front of Vienna City and sat by a woman who appeared to be in her early fifties. Few minutes after joining the trotro, I slept off. The woman had to alert me to pay my fare and did same for me to take my change. When we got to Lapaz, she was the one who drew my attention.

I crossed the now N 1 road which used to be N1/2 at time and so I didn’t struggle to cross it despite dosing half way through

Right in front of Las Pamas Restaurant, I was confronted by 3 guys who accused me of being part of a group of guys who attacked a guy and his girlfriend and jolted with their belongings a couple of hours ago. They tried searching my pocket for something but found nothing except for a 2 Cedi note and some coins. I didn’t go out with my phone that day (The very first time I went out without my phone) and had very little money on me

I was very expensively dressed so they presumed I had some valuables on me. I suspect that was their trick to take my stuffs from me. When it backfired, they start pushing and shoving me and got more vocal with their accusation. I got a couple of slaps. One of the guys stained my top with blood to support their claim that I was indeed one of the boys who fought the guy and his lady, injured them and stole their belongings. Apparently, that accident had taken place that day.

At this stage, I was being pushed all over the place and people were taking interest in the issue. It dragged on to the taxi station.

The drivers took interest and listened to the story of the guys. They didn’t believe my side of the story.

Trust me, you run out of words to defend yourself when you find yourself in these situations.

For some strange reason, aside the two slaps, No one hit me with any external object: it was just shoving and what have you.

One reason I suspect that made people a bit careful to touch me was how well I was dressed with the only dent being the blood in my Gorilla Unit T’Shirt which looked a bit unreal with a careful look.

The drivers who showed level headedness gave up on me after more people corroborated the accusation against me. The next thing was for the beating to start.

My heart missed a beat when one driver asked for petrol. This is because a couple of weeks prior, a young guy was burnt to ashes for stealing a mobile phone in the area and stabbing a school boy who exposed him in broad day light.

Honestly, I was in a hurry to wake up from the dream but it was real and I was on the verge of death.

From one of the taxis, I heard a woman shouting on top of her voice voice and it was the woman I sat by in the trotro, she came out to hug me and asked about the incident and inquired why I has blood in my top

The drivers told her what has been alleged.

She told them how she met me and the fact that it couldn’t have been me because there was no blood on my attire when we sat in the trotro about 20 minutes prior

After her testimony, the drivers stepped in and vowed that they wouldn’t let anyone touch me.

It became a struggle between the drivers and the guys. To be honest, I was smuggled away from the fracas that ensued in one of the taxis.

I’d have kept it to myself but the news got to the people I lived with because I couldn’t pay for the dropping so the driver had to come home later in the day for the money. Before I could say jack, he had narrated everything to them

On that day, even though I had never laid a figure on a thief prior, I vowed never to even insult an alleged thief let alone touch him because when you are falsely accused in that manner, you don’t find the right words to defend yourself

So many innocent people have been killed through instant justice.

In my case, I believe the hand of the people who accused me and those who believed them were held by the Lord. I had so much time that is unreal at Lapaz. Just when they were convinced to strike, the woman intervened

That woman to me was God sent. I have no idea what would have happened. I only knew at the time that people rarely survived on suspicion of robbery at Lapaz during that time.

To make it worse, in my mind, I was going to hell.

When your life comes under threats, you can think of things that can fill a 200 paged book in a second.

It is impossible to defend yourself when you are caught up in the midst of mob action. Even if you are given the chance to speak, you can’t put the right words together.

You have yourself surrounded by more than ten people calling for your blood who have taken an entrenched position that anything you say is a lie.

Lapaz is to an extent the Capital Town of people who live around Tabora and it’s environs. The daily lives and movement of people revolve around it and therefore impossible to live at Tabora and avoid Lapaz

Lapaz became my scarecrow for sometime

It was a momentary experience of hell for me and imagining what Captain Mahama went through breaks me.

No human has the right to take the life of another person.

In the case of our late brother Maxwell Mahama though, it doesn’t look like mob action against a suspected robber to me (to me). It looks organised (to me)

Watching the detailed video on his murder, I must admit that even though I have seen a number of mob actions against suspected thieves and have escaped one, none comes close to this one by way of brutality.

I have never seen a mob so eager to finish a ‘suspected robber’ like this one.

In most genuine cases of instant justice against suspected robbers, they beat the suspect to a point, ask him questions before proceeding to kill him or hand him over to the police

Strangely, of all the people around during the incident, no one was reasonable enough to ask questions like: What was he trying to rob, whose house and with whom did he embark on the operation?

More so when it was in broad day light, ordinary mob would have sought for clarification

This is the first mob against a suspected robber that weren’t eager to listen to a word from the suspect

From the word go, their only intention was to kill him and nothing more.

This is why I suspect that there’s more to his death than just a mere incident of instant justice against a suspect armed robber. Who kills an armed robber without at least finding out where he’s from? This is common with instant justice.

Even when he made effort to speak, the people attacking him didn’t want him heard.

The effort to silence him and the eagerness to kill him so quickly speaks volume.

That said, this is where we are now.

This is the result of our collective silence over this treacherous act that has become a norm in this country

There are so many areas in Accra where suspected thieves never go scot free. Even in the East Legon and Cantonments where we think are largely made up of educated and refined people, suspected thieves don’t get to the police station without being beaten to pulp.

Go to Universities in this country and find out how suspected thieves are dealt with and it will become clear that the people of Denkyira are at best the worse form of our bad self or perhaps a perfect picture of 21^st century Ghana.

Most people are angry because it has been clearly proven that our brother Mahama was on duty to serve the nation. We would have treated it with contempt if our brother was an ordinary person and unknown to people who could prove his innocence.

As long as we deem it okay for thieves to be killed, innocent people won’t be free. Instant justice is equally the reason why many armed robbers kill the people they rob in this country.

No one is safe if this continues.

In instant justice, those who beat the suspect, those who stand by without intervening and those who walk past it as one of those things are equally guilty. In short, most of us, including myself have had a hand in one instant justice at least on one occasion directly or indirectly.

The people arrested in association with our brother should be dealt with ruthlessly within the space of the law and their fate must be made known to the public to send a strong message against this anomaly.

Sadly, after the Denkyira Obuasi issue, a man has been killed in the Central Region for stealing a goat, a 67-year-old woman has been stoned to death for allegedly being a witch in the Northern Region and two lynched to death in Kumasi for stealing mobile phone.

‘People’ won’t change until the whip is cracked and a strong stance is taken against instant justice regardless of the profile of the victim

Captain Mahama should go down in history as the sacrificial lamb whose death made instant justice unattractive in this country. He shouldn’t die in vain because the man is a good person

Any other military man with a gun would have at least killed one person. His gun was returned with bullets in it after the few warning shots yielded no result. He is our hero and must be remembered as such by posterity with attitudinal change.

Instant justice is rushed injustice: it is never a better option to the slow wheel of proper justice.

–

By: Isaac Kyei Andoh ([email protected])

The post How I was saved from mob justice at Lapaz [Article] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Captain Maxwell Mahama had stopped to buy snails from her, paid for it and told her he would return for the snails on his way back from a jogging routine.

The woman, upon seeing the sidearm [a pistol] while Captain Mahama was taking out money to pay her, secretly called the assemblyman for the area, Denkyira-Obuasi, and informed him of what she had seen.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Ze7TIcqMtBYWiReqEA7qWMs6zpwrmbaI”]The Assemblyman then mobilized some youth who without verifying the identity of Capt. Mahama, carried out the gruesome attack and murdered him.

The Police made this known at a press conference in Accra to present findings from its general criminal investigations into the murder of the military man.

IGP, David Asante-Apeatu, who also addressed the press conference, said the police is instituting measures to stop the menace of mob action.

“The police service which I head, has already started putting measures in place to eradicate these acts of impunity… These measures include stern enforcement of the law, liaising with other relevant institutions to embark on massive public education, strengthening criminal investigations, and taking community policing to a higher level,” he said.

Below is the Police’s account of what happened.

ADDRESS BY THE DIRECTOR – GENERAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT. DCOP/MR. BRIGHT ODURO ON PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN MAXWELL MAHAMA

1. CAPTAIN MAXWELL MAHAMA now deceased was the Commander of a Military Detachment stationed at Diaso in the Upper Denkyira District of the Central Region to check Galamsey activities. The Detachment is based at the outskirts of Diaso.
2. On Monday May 29, 2017 at about 8:00 am, the deceased left the Detachment Base for a 20km walk/jogging. He was in civilian clothing but carried his sidearm. He jogged on the main asphalted Diaso-Dominase-Ayanfuri motor road. He came through Agona Port Police Barrier. Jameso Nkwanta and Dankwakrom villages heading towards Dominase.
3. It has been established that at about 8:55am, the deceased in a whatsapp chat with a friend stated that, he was embarking on a 20km walk and that he started at 8.00am so he would get in touch later. It is estimated that, between this time and 9:25 am he had walked about 10km to a place at the outskirts of Denkyira-Obuasi village where a number of women were selling food items by the road. The deceased stopped to interact with the women and even bought some snails which he left with the women to pick up on his return from the walk.
4. While the deceased was taking out money from his pocket to pay for the snail, the woman from whom the deceased bought the snail and a few others saw the deceased’s sidearm tucked to his waist.Soon after he left the women, one of them (name withheld) telephoned the Assemblyman of Denkyira-Obuasi, William Baah to report what they had seen.
5. Without verifying the information, the Assemblyman mobilized the townsfolk to prepare to attack an armed robber who had been sighted by the women who sell at the outskirt of the town. The Assemblyman called a motor rider who is popularly known in the town as “Komoko” and together with one other man called Kwasi Buah. a vulcanizer proceeded to confront the deceased.
6. The Assemblyman met the deceased near the Denkyira-Obuasi cemetery, which is about one-and- half kilometers away from the food stuff sellers and about the same distance from the place where the body of the deceased was found.
7. As soon as the Assemblyman and his two-man team spotted the deceased with a side arm, they accosted him without giving him the opportunity to identify himself.
8. By this time message had spread that an armed robber had been sighted and so other people had come around wielding all forms of implements and started attacking the deceased.
9. While the deceased was being attacked, he made efforts to explain his identity, while at the same time attempting to flee from his attackers.

Police Investigations have also established the following:

1. The deceased jumped unto different motor bikes in an attempt to escape from the attack but to no avail.
2. He also attempted to escape by jumping unto a timber truck (details withheld) by entering through the passenger side but the attackers fired and shattered the windscreen causing him to fall off.
3. There were sporadic shooting from the attackers.
4. The attackers used implements including clubs, cement blocks and machetes.
5. He was finally killed at about 10:00am
6. These findings indicate that the deceased left his base at about 8am of Monday May 29. 2017 and was killed at about 10am of the same day.
7. Police actions taken so far include the arrest of 16 suspects. 7 out of whom have been remanded by the Court to police custody and the rest to be presented in Court on Monday June 5, 2017 together with any suspects that may be arrested in the course of the weekend.
8. The seven who have been remanded are:
9. William Baah
10. Bismark Donkor
11. Philip Badu
12. Kofi Nyame
13. Anthony Amoah
14. Kofi Badu
15. Yaw Annor
16. The other arrested persons are as stated below. Some were attempting to escape arrest to other places and were intercepted, while others were arrested from other places across the country, including as far as Sunyani.
17. Dolly Kormla
18. Domeh Francis
19. Sonu Mwaunyo
20. Sonu Emmanuel
21. Ernest Ally
22. Kojo Mfum
23. Kwasi Buah
24. Issah Manu
25. Prince Amponsah
26. We have collected a number of evidence which have either been processed or are being processed according to due process.

In conclusion our investigations are focused on identifying all persons whose actions caused the death of the deceased.To find out what specific actions were taken by each individual and how the actions are linked to the killing as well as the intent of the actions.

THANK YOU

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Snail seller’s ‘false alarm’ caused Captain Mahama’s lynching – Police appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The suspected has been identified as Appiah Emmanuel.

[contextly_sidebar id=”yI5T5NywtUt0VdyVehgJlHS40JqwAlMQ”]This brings to 17, the total number of suspects who have been rounded up in connection with the killing.

Captain Mahama was lynched by some residents of Denkyira-Obuasi in the Upper West Denkyira District of the Central Region, when he was allegedly mistaken for a robber.

The Police in the Central Region had arrested nine other persons earlier on Friday, in connection with the murder.

Two of the suspects were apprehended after they were overheard by some market women at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region, narrating how the Captain was murdered.

One of the suspects was arrested in Techiman, while five others were arrested at Asankragua in the Western Region.

One of the suspects, identified as Charles Akwasi Buah, was arrested on Friday dawn following a tip-off by an informant at Domenasi Ojobi in the Central Region.

Reports suggest his girlfriend drew the attention of the Police that he was seeking refuge in her house after fleeing Denkyira-Obuasi.

Seven of the suspects have already made their first appearance in court, and have been remanded to police custody to reappear on 19th June, 2017.

The seven included an Assembly Member from Denkyira-Obuasi, William Baah, who turned himself into police custody.

–

By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 17th suspect nabbed in Capt. Mahama killing appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This brings to total 14, the number of suspects who have been arrested, and are being investigated over the murder.

[contextly_sidebar id=”4I2ejfnaBxc16pgwvlsEtFFw3Y9dHmAF”]Seven of those arrested have already made their first appearance in court, and have been remanded to police custody to reappear on 19th June, 2017.

New suspects

According to the Regional Police PRO, ASP Irene Oppong, one of the suspects was arrested at Techiman, while 5 others were arrested at Asankragua in the Western Region.

One of the suspects, identified as Charles Akwasi Buah, was arrested on Friday dawn following a tip-off by an informant at Domenasi Ojobi in the Central Region.

Some reports say he was reported by his girlfriend, from whom he sought shelter after fleeing Denkyira-Obuasi.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 7 more suspects grabbed over Capt. Mahama’s murder appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

A few people who have had personal encounters with the deceased military man have tried to recount fond memories of him and what they know about him.

[contextly_sidebar id=”JOewnIkVBMaVEfr5fWFRLkyZR9yvOAcM”]But what more do we know about Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama?

1. He was born in 1985 and was 31 years old.

2. He was born to a military officer [his father – 3rd Infantry battalion Capt. Chubby Adam Mahama (RTD)] whose father was also a military officer.

3. He attended Services Basic School and John Teye Memorial School and Akosombo International for his basic education.

4. He is an old student [Old Saint] of Saint John School, Sekondi [Completed in 2004].

5. He joined the Military after Senior High School.

6. He enrolled and studied Political Science at the University of Ghana [Accra City Campus]

7. He completed his first Masters’ degree program after his BA degree.

8. He had enrolled in an MSc Criminology program in 2015 [Distance Learning] at the University of Leicester and was due to due to graduate at this summer’s degree ceremonies.

9. He got married to Barbara in August 2012.

10. The couple has two children.

11. He loves to play tennis and does so at the professional level

12. He is peace loving and often prefers dialogue in addressing situations according to his father.

13. He had just completed an exam to be promoted to the rank of a ‘Major’.

14. He is a nephew to former President John Dramani Mahama

The deceased, Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama, was lynched with parts of his body burnt by some residents of Denkyira-Obuasi in the Upper West Denkyira District of the Central Region.

Different accounts have been given about how he actually died on the fateful day of Monday, 29th May, 2017.

Initial reports said he was mistaken for an armed robber by residents after he was seen jogging in civilian clothes with a gun on him.

Later, reports suggested he was attacked and killed by the townsfolk who identified him as a soldier deployed to stop them from undertaking illegal small-scale mining in the area.

Seven persons are currently standing trial for their suspected roles in the murder.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Things you didn’t know about Capt. Maxwell Mahama appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The group, from 2004, in a statement said, “we plead with government and the nation as a whole not to, in any way politicize this issue.

[contextly_sidebar id=”QF65tZGFDBYWcqeZ5r1zctRODvsrDkr1″]The year group’s statement followed the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) decision to blame President Nana Akufo-Addo for the murder.

In the NDC’s view, the Akufo-Addo administration allowed chaos to fester in the society without addressing other major acts of lawlessness within the first few months of its life.

The group’s plea to the government was to ensure that justice prevailed.

“We the CLASS OF 2004 of St. John’s School, Sekondi, call on the government most specifically the President who is the Commander-in-Chief, the National Security Coordinator/Advisor, the Minister of Defense, the Military High Command, the Judiciary, Parliament, respective REGSEC AND DISEC and every Ghanaian to awake to the cry of our brother’s blood from the soils of Denkyira.”

“The soul of our brother cries… He cries for his sons and beloved wife and we his mates have heard his cry. This is the reason we won’t rest and watch this injustice sidelined until proper judgement is passed on the perpetrators.”

Find below the full statement

IN BOTH SOLIDARITY AND JUSTICE: STATEMENT ON THE GRUESOME LYNCHING OF CAPT. MAXWELL ADAM MAHAMA FROM HIS MATES- CLASS OF 2004-ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL, SEKONDI.

In October 2001, when we all ascended the ‘green hills’ of Sekondi; fear flooded our hearts and our eyes were dim of vision having no clue of what hope had in store for us. However, we went through the gates to be called the ‘Koliko’ boys. The dream of both pursuit and persistent every Saint is challenged with as he wore the green shirt for the first time.

We entered as strangers but grew through the pressures of academia and became brothers. And amongst us was our very brother OLD SAINT, CAPTAIN MAXWELL ADAM MAHAMA. We were PREPARED FOR THE WAY OF SERVICE TO THE LORD AND MOTHER GHANA. Hence, we gladly encouraged our brother and gave him up to the nation to keep wearing the ‘green shirt’- The uniform of the force.

Without a doubt, the late Old Saint Captain Mahama served this country and made proud his brothers from the womb of ‘Saint Aboagyewaa’. The soul mother of St. John’s School, Sekondi. Therefore we are not oblivion to the works and achievements of our brother to this nation. HIS HIGH RISE WAS ONLY TO GIVE UP HIS LIFE FOR GHANA, NOT TO BE TAKEN BY HIS VERY OWN PEOPLE

We the CLASS OF 2004 of St. John’s School, Sekondi, call on the government most specifically the President who is the Commander-in-Chief, the National Security Coordinator/Advisor, the Minister of Defense, the Military High Command, the Judiciary, Parliament, respective REGSEC AND DISEC and every Ghanaian to awake to the cry of our brother’s blood from the soils of Denkyira. We plead with government and the nation as a whole not to, in any way politicise this issue. The soul of our brother cries… He cries for his sons and beloved wife and we his mates have heard his cry. This is the reason we won’t rest and watch this injustice sidelined until proper judgement is passed on the perpetrators.

#oldsaintsclass04Justice4CaptainAdam #oldsaintsJustice4CaptainMax #nationalJustice4CaptainMahama

SIGNED

Nana Ofori Appiah SAINT JOHN’S SCHOOL- SEKONDI CLASS OF 2004

–

By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Don’t politicize our brother’s death – Capt. Mahama’s classmates appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Vice President made this pledge when he called on the family at Burma Camp in Accra on Wednesday, May 31, 2017.

He said he was stunned by the “evil amongst us” and assured that “we will pursue the perpetrators with all the might of the State to its logical conclusion to ensure that justice is done.”

He also assured of the state’s support for the funeral and the welfare of the late Captain’s family.

“For the family, we want to assure you that we are going to be with you through thick and thin going forward. We will see to it that he gets a befitting burial and do what very is necessary for the family and the children who are left behind,” Dr. Bawumia said.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Obed Akwa also dismissed claims that the late Captain and his men were on an illegal mission, maintaining that the Military High Command had deployed them on an officially-sanctioned mission.

He further thanked the officers and men of the armed forces for the restraint they had shown in these “trying times”.

–

By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Bawumia consoles Capt. Mahama’s family [Photos] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The assembly member, William Baah, reportedly turned himself into police in the Diaso area, near Denkyira-Obuasi, on Wednesday afternoon, and is being transported to the Central Region Police Command.

Five persons suspected to have taken part in the killing are also in the Central Regional Police after being picked up on Tuesday.

One of the five suspects sustained a gunshot wound during the lynching that resulted in the Army officer’s death, and is receiving treatment.

The five suspects have been identified as Bismark Donkor, Phillip Badu, Kofi Nyame, Anthony Amoah and Kofi Badu.

Captain Mahama was armed at the time and fired off at least a shot during a struggle before being killed by his attackers on Monday morning.

The other four suspects are being held at the Bakaano Police station in Cape Coast.

Capt. Mahama was an officer of the 5th Infantry Battalion and was said to have been on his daily jogging routine on Monday when he was lynched.

He had been deployed there as part of an anti-illegal mining operation.

The residents claimed Captain Mahama was a robber as he was in civilian clothing at the time, and with a gun.

Police urges ‘guilty’ to surrender

The police in a later statement confirming William Baah’s arrest said: “the Inspector General of Police assures the public that police will employ all means possible to uncover circumstances leading to the murder and those behind it.”

The police also expressed confidence in its ability to probe the murder and warned “all persons who played roles in the murder to surrender to the nearest Police Station.”

“To this end, the Police Administration reassures the public that it is in constant collaboration with the military high command towards successful investigations of the murder of Captain Mahama. Progress on the case would be made available to the media and the public whenever necessary.”

–

By: Joseph Ackon-Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Assemblyman allegedly behind Capt. Mahama’s killing arrested appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Several hours later, as pieces of information trickled in and clarity on the matter was provided, many Ghanaians took to social media to express their rage over the incident.

While some called for immediate military retaliatory action on the youth in the area, others demanded that justice is served according to law, and radical changes made by the government to address the gruesome attack which has lingered through various regimes.

Many also stated that, they had had their own share of near-lynching experiences, hence the need to stop what has become known as instant justice.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Capt. Mahama murder: What Ghanaians are saying appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.