The Office of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice has reacted to the verdict delivered by a jury in the Republic vrs Gregory Afoko and Asabke Alangdi trial.
A seven (7) member jury on Thursday, April 27, 2023, found the two accused person not guilty of the offence of murder in the death of the late Adams Mahama, former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party.
However, for the offense of conspiracy to commit murder, the jury found the second accused guilty while it found the first accused not guilty.
Since the law prescribing death sentence for murder charges rules that the verdict must be unanimous, the state according to the Attorney General’s Office is thus bound to put the first accused before a different jury for a retrial.
In a statement, the Attorney General said the situation highlights the challenges with the jury system of trial.
According to Godfred Yeboah Dame, his office is taking steps to remedy such situations from occurring in the future.
“The instant case, particularly the unanimous verdict of the jury regarding the guilt of the 2nd accused for conspiracy to commit murder, whilst at the same time delivering a hung verdict in the case of the 1st accused on the same charge, highlights the severe challenges with the jury system, a situation the Attorney-General is taking steps to remedy as part of proposals for amendment of many parts of the criminal procedure laws of Ghana,” the statement said.
“The Attorney-General hereby respectfully, entreats members of the public, including lawyers, to be guided accordingly and desist from comments which have an undue tendency to jeopardise the sound and efficient administration of justice,” he added.