{"id":280872,"date":"2016-12-30T20:49:58","date_gmt":"2016-12-30T20:49:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=280872"},"modified":"2016-12-30T20:49:58","modified_gmt":"2016-12-30T20:49:58","slug":"mahamas-failed-assassin-charles-antwi-freed-by-bni","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/12\/mahamas-failed-assassin-charles-antwi-freed-by-bni\/","title":{"rendered":"Mahama’s ‘failed assassin’ Charles Antwi freed by BNI"},"content":{"rendered":"
After spending several months in the custody of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the gunman\u00a0who said he had wanted to assassinate President John Mahama, was on Friday, December 30,\u00a0released from BNI custody.<\/p>\n
Charles Antwi’s lawyer, Francis Xavier Sosu, confirmed his release to Citi News<\/strong>,\u00a0and said he and his team were \u201cso much grateful to God for the final release of Charles Antwi from BNI custody.\u201d<\/p>\n [contextly_sidebar id=”kHqECvExIMplU2mgKtENSV5kA0pRTgQH”]Mr. Sosu revealed that\u00a0his team \u201cpetitioned the Attorney General this week for his release and upon their advice, finally, he [Charles Antwi] was released from custody.\u201d<\/p>\n In July 2015, Charles Antwi was arrested with a loaded gun<\/a><\/strong><\/span> at the Ringway Assemblies of God church, where President Mahama worships with his family.<\/p>\n He later confessed in open court that he had planned on assassinating the President, and that, that day was his third attempt. He was hurriedly sentenced to 10 years in prison when he appeared before a circuit\u00a0court.<\/p>\n Several lawyers questioned the rather hasty trial\u00a0and said the verdict was unfair.<\/p>\n Charles Antwi pleaded guilty to the charges held against him, and told the court presided over by\u00a0Justice Francis Obiri that becoming President was his birthright hence his resolve “to kill president Mahama<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.”<\/p>\n It was later confirmed that the suspect was mentally handicapped\u00a0after his lawyers insisted that he goes through a medical check-up.<\/p>\n Sentence quashed<\/strong><\/p>\n As a result of that action, on August 31, 2015, a Human Rights court in Accra subsequently ordered the release of Charles Antwi.<\/p>\n According to the presiding judge, J.A Okwabi, his ruling was based on documents presented to him which showed that the circuit Court Judge, Francis Obiri, erred in the first ruling which sentenced Mr Antwi to 10 years<\/a><\/strong><\/span> imprisonment.<\/p>\n Some of those who argued against earlier ruling also said it was clear Mr. Antwi was mentally ill and needed treatment, and that the judge should have considered that in his ruling.<\/p>\n