Ghana’s security agencies have arrested a second suspect in the murder of Adams Mahama, former chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Upper East region.
The arrest was in collaboration with Interpol.
The suspect, Asabke Alangdi was arrested in Ivory Coast after over a year of surveillance and search during which period he moved camps from Burkina Faso to Ivory Coast, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah told journalists in Accra Monday.
Asabke was the second person believed to have conspired with the first suspect Gregory Afoko to kill Mr. Mahama on May 20th 2015.
It will be recalled that Mahama was attacked in front of his home in Bolgatanga with acid leading to his death.
Investigations disclosed that his death was caused by the two persons Afoko and Alangde. Alangde, however, fled the Ghanaian jurisdiction in the days after the murder and has been on the run since. Ghana’s security agencies have been on a manhunt for him since then.
Afoko was, however, apprehended by the Police and has been put on trial since. The case is being tried by Justice L L Mensah (JA) sitting as an additional High Court Judge and has been adjourned to February 2019 for lawyers to address the Jury.
“While this trial has been ongoing, consistent efforts were underway to apprehend the fugitive, Alangdi. He was arrested on Friday 25th January 2019 with the assistance of Interpol,” said Oppong Nkrumah.
Alangdi’s arrest, Oppong Nkrumah said has “necessitated the filing of a Nolle Prosequi in respect of the ongoing trial in the case of the Republic Vrs Gregory Afoko.”
“This has been done about an hour ago with the objective of discontinuing the initial trial to enable the two accused persons to be tried together to best serve the interest of justice,” he said.
He said committal proceedings for the two accused persons “will commence shortly for them to stand trial as soon as possible” and that the state “additionally intends to pray the Chief Justice to assign a dedicated judge for an expedited trial considering the background of the case.”
