Court frees Gregory Afoko and Asabke after nearly 11 years on trial over Adams Mahama’s murder

The High Court in Accra has freed Gregory Afoko, the man accused of murdering Adams Mahama, the former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), bringing an almost eleven year old trial to an unexpected halt. His alleged accomplice, Asabke Alangdi, who had earlier been convicted, was also discharged.

Justice Marie Louise Simmons, who presided over the case, based the decision on the prolonged delays and repeated adjournments caused by the prosecution. Afoko and Asabke were facing their third trial on charges of conspiracy to commit murder and murder after the second trial ended in a hung jury.

The third trial began in 2024. During that period, the prosecution managed to call only five of its sixteen planned witnesses before the case stalled on November 24, 2024.

When the case was called again on Monday, December 1, 2025, Justice Simmons noted that the accused persons were still before the court for their third trial. She explained that after the hung jury in the second trial, the case was ordered to start afresh, relying on a Bill of Indictment filed on March 22, 2019.

The pleas of Afoko and Asabke were taken on January 18, 2024, after which a jury was empanelled. Between April 12 and November 24, 2024, five witnesses testified, leaving eleven more still to be called. The judge highlighted that the trial had stalled with about six adjournments, all requested by the prosecution.

The court noted that it had been informed a decision was still pending, yet jurors had continued appearing in court while the state was obliged to pay their allowances. On December 1, 2025, which the judge described as about the seventh or eighth inactive adjournment, no prosecutor was present to update the court. Only five of the seven jurors were present.

Faced with the prolonged delays, the judge stated: “I will discharge the accused persons, and the accused persons are accordingly discharged.” She then discharged and dissolved the jury and expressed appreciation for their service.

Initial Bail

Earlier, on Friday February 21, 2025, the High Court had granted Afoko bail of GH₵500,000 with two sureties after he had spent nearly a decade on remand. Afoko and his co defendant were alleged to have attacked Mahama by pouring acid on him on May 20, 2015, leading to Mahama’s death.

Gregory Afoko is the brother of former NPP National Chairman Paul Afoko, who was suspended from the party in October 2015.

During the February 21 proceedings, the prosecution did not oppose the bail application because the defence had demonstrated its ability to meet the bail conditions. Afoko had already undergone two previous trials. One was aborted in 2019 and the other ended in a hung jury on April 27, 2023, when the panel delivered a four to three not guilty split in his favour.

Brief Facts of the Case

According to the case summary, on May 14, 2015, Gregory’s brother Paul Afoko and then NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong travelled to Bolgatanga for a meeting. The deceased, Mahama, was said to have organised a group of thugs to disrupt the gathering at the Azumsolon Guest House because he believed they were campaigning against then flagbearer Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and had failed to notify him of the meeting.

After the police restored calm, the prosecution said Afoko confronted Mahama but was chased away by Mahama’s supporters.

In response, Gregory and Asabke allegedly mobilised another youth group to protect individuals they believed were being targeted for supporting Nana Akufo Addo. The prosecution said the two held a series of meetings with this group.

On May 20, 2015, they allegedly ambushed Mahama at his residence with a substance believed to be acid. Mahama arrived home around 11:10 p.m. in his pick up truck. Recognising the suspects as party members, he rolled down his window. The substance was poured on him immediately afterward, and the attackers fled on a motorbike.

Mahama’s screams alerted his wife, Hajia Zenabu Adams, who rushed to assist him. She sustained burns on her chest and breast while helping her husband. Mahama reportedly identified Gregory and Asabke as his attackers before being airlifted to Accra, where he died.

Police later arrested Afoko, who led investigators to the home of Asabke’s father. Officers later traced Asabke’s home but found that he had fled with his wife, leaving behind their baby.

A post mortem examination concluded that Mahama died from shock to the lungs and extensive acid burns.