Afoko saga: Speak out - Mahama to Clergy, chiefs

Traditional leaders and the clergy must speak out against the government over the violation of the rights of Mr Gregory Afoko, who, together with a second suspect, is being tried by the state for the murder of the governing New Patriotic Party’s Upper East Regional Chairman Adam Mahama in 2015.

Mr Afoko has been in the custody of the state for about three years.

He was granted bail by an Accra High court in March 2019 and admitted to a bail bond of GHS500,000 with two sureties, one of which was to be justified.

However, he was still kept in custody despite meeting all the bail conditions.

A different judge of the same high court recently reversed the bail granted the accused person, arguing that Mr Afoko will not show up for the trial should he be let go.

A lot of groups such as the Ghana Bar Association and Occupy Ghana as well as human rights advocates have called out the government on the matter.

Joining the fray, Mr Mahama, who is the flag bearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress, told supporters of the party on his tour of some regions that: “Just recently in court, someone requested for a bail and it was granted by the court but the government has rescinded that bail. Every country is governed by rules. If a government decides not to abide by the rules, then where lies our fate as a country?”

“This young man was incarcerated for a long while before being arraigned. This could be any other person, too, so, the clergy and traditional rulers must speak up for government to know its mistakes.”