Detective Inspector Solomon Okyere, the Fourth Court Witness in the ongoing mini-trial in the case in which 14 persons are standing trial for the murder of the late Major Maxwell Mahama said, Michael Anim, the 7th Accused (A7) person gave his statement voluntarily.
Detective Inspector Okyere while being led by Madam Frances Mullen Asare, a Chief State Attorney to give his evidence, said he invited an independent witness before the statement was taken.
He said, after, the statement was also read and translated in the Twi Language for the accused person.
“I explained to the accused person that he was entitled to a lawyer and then he offered to give the witness voluntarily in the Twi Language, which l translated into the English Language,” he said.
He said, the accused then thumb printed, seven times with the witness and himself signing for seven and eight times respectively.
He said the atmosphere was conducive and calm when he took the statement from the accused person and Michael was relaxed.
He said together with the Station Officer, they interrogated the accused person, where the accused person said he was in town when the said instance happened on that fateful day.
He said, it was the Assemblyman, William Baah, who said he heard there was an alleged armed robber in town, so they should assist in his arrest.
The witness said that the accused said when he got to the street, a car had knocked the alleged armed robber and people were assaulting him.
He indicated that the accused said he also joined without asking any questions.
Detective Inspt. Okyere said the accused told him that he also hit the deceased with a cement block and in the process the late Major Maxwell Mahama told him that he was not an armed robber but rather a soldier, so he stopped.
He said he took a caution statement from the accused person in the Twi language in the presence of an independent witness in the person of Mohammed Hamidu.
The witness said after the independent witness read the statement to the accused person and he thumb printed, while the witness and l also signed seven and eight times respectively.
He said the atmosphere was conducive and calm, while he took the statement and the accused person was relaxed.
Cross-Examination
Under cross-examination from Augustine Gyamfi, the Counsel for A7, the witness said he took the statement in his handwriting on June 3, 2017.
He added that, the statement was taken the same day the accused person arrested by the Anti-Armed Robbery Squad of the Kumasi Central Police Station.
The witness said it was not true, the accused person was beaten but the Counsel disagreed with him, pointing to the witness that the accused person was sent to the Hospital before the statement was taken, which the Detective agreed.
On why the accused was sent to the hospital, the witness said he was complaining of dizziness but the accused never collapsed in his presence.
The Counsel accused the Police of collecting money from Anim but the witness disagreed, saying he was not aware.
Accused persons
The 14 persons including an assemblyman are standing trial at an Accra High Court over the killing of Major Mahama, who was an officer of the 5th Infantry Battalion, at Burma Camp.
The late Major was on duty at Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central Region when on May 29, 2017 some residents allegedly mistook him for an armed robber and lynched him.
The mob had ignored his persistent plea that he was an officer of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The accused are William Baah, the Assembly member of Denkyira Obuasi, Bernard Asamoah alias Daddy, Kofi Nyame a.k.a Abortion, Akwasi Boah, Kwame Tuffour, Joseph Appiah Kubi, Michael Anim and Bismarck Donkor.
Others are John Bosie, Akwasi Baah, Charles Kwaning, Emmanuel Badu, Bismarck Abanga and Kwadwo Anima.
The court presided over by Justice Mariama Owusu, Justice of the Supreme Court has adjourned the case to June 21, 2021, for continuation.
Source: Ghana/Kasapafmonline.com/Murtala Inusah
