12 jailed for life in Major Mahama murder case

The jury in the Major Mahama case has returned a unanimous guilty verdict on 12 out of the 14 people standing trial for the death of Major Mahama.

The 12 have been found guilty of counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and abetment of murder.

They have been sentenced to life imprisonment each for the counts they were found guilty of.

The 12 include the Assembly Member of the area who was accused of rallying the community to attack Major Mahama when the incident occurred.

Meanwhile, two of the accused have been acquitted and discharged after the jury found them not guilty of the charges against them.

The jury has been discharged, and the convicts are awaiting sentencing by Justice Mariama Owusu.

Attorney General Godfred Dame, in an interview with Citi News‘ Hanson Agyemang, expressed hope that the verdict will act as a deterrent to people who practice mob justice.

“It’s been a long battle; it started way back in December 2017. The persons accused were committed to some trial at the High Court, which was in April 2018. It’s been about 5 years or more, and the whole justice system we all know grinds slowly. But today, we have seen justice. Two have been acquitted and 12 have been sentenced. I don’t think the public will contest the acquittal of those two people. We are satisfied with the conviction. And we can only express our sympathies with the family of the late Major Mahama. They have suffered a lot; they have gone through a lot, but at least they have seen justice, and I’m sure they should be happy about it.”

Background

Major Mahama was lynched at Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central Region on May 29, 2017, while on duty.
It was later narrated that the military officer had been mistaken for a robber.

Following the incident, over 50 suspects were rounded up, out of whom 14 were eventually screened for prosecution.

They are William Baah, then-Assemblyman for Denkyira Obuasi; Bernard Asamoah, alias Daddy; Kofi Nyame, a.k.a. Abortion; Akwasi Boah; Kwame Tuffour; Joseph Appiah Kubi; Michael Anim; and Bismarck Donkor. The rest are: John Bosie, Akwasi Baah, Charles Kwaning, Emmanuel Badu, Bismarck Abanga, and Kwadwo Anima.

In July 2022, the High Court overruled a submission of no case by the lawyers of the 14 accused persons in the Major Mahama Murder trial.

The 14, including then-assemblyman for Denkyira Obuasi, William Baah, argued that the prosecution had not made a compelling enough case against them.

Their lawyers thus argued that they had not been implicated in the tragic killing of Major Mahama and should be freed of the charge.

Justice Mariama Owusu, a Justice of the Supreme Court sitting as an additional High Court Judge, however, rejected their argument.

Her Ladyship held that the charges of intentionally causing harm to and murdering Major Maxwell Mahama had been sufficiently demonstrated by the prosecution and needed to be defended.

She consequently overruled the submission of no case and called upon the accused persons to open their defence.

Source: CitiNewsRoom