It’s a unanimous verdict in the 2018 murder case of Major Maxwell Mahama at Denkyira Obuase in the Central Region. Twelve out of 14 persons tried for the murder, were found guilty of abetment, conspiracy to commit murder and murder. They have been consequently convicted of the charges and sentenced to life imprisonment. Two other accused persons, however, were acquitted and discharged for the charge of conspiracy to commit crime, namely murder.
The twelve convicts are William Baah, a former Assembly Member of Denkyira Obuasi, he was found guilty of abetment of crime namely murder. Others are Bernard Asamoah, alias Daddy; Kofi Nyarko, aka Abortion, Akwasi Baah, Kwame Tuffour, Joseph Appiah Kubi, and Michael Anim. The rest are John Bosie, Akwasi Baah, Charles Kwaning, Emmanuel Badu, and Kwadwo Anima, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit crime, namely murder and the substantive charge of murder. They were sentenced to life imprisonment on both charges and are to serve same concurrently. The eighth and thirteenth accused persons – Bismark Donkor and Bismark Abanga were acquitted and discharged of the charge of conspiracy.
The late Major Maxwell Adam Mahama, then 32-years old, was a commander of a detachment that had been stationed at Denkyira Obuasi in the Central Region, to check illegal mining operations. However, on the morning of his death, the facts had it that, he was on a morning jog in the area, when he came across a woman selling snails, and approached to ask for directions to the town. Per Court documents, the said woman, saw a gun strapped to the waist of the late soldier and became suspicious of him. It is documented that, the woman, subsequently called William Baah, who was then the assemblyman, of the area to report her findings. Mr. Baah, without verification, informed members of the community of the alleged development and in the process, mobilized a group of irate youth who were spotted with machetes and other deadly weapons, who went after the late military officer on that same morning of May 29, 2017, and lynched him.
The trial commenced in 2018. During the 5-year trial, prosecution, produced, material evidence such as cement blocks, guns and others, to prove their case. A video which was part of evidence by prosecution, was shown in court . The 10 minute long video, painfully detailed how the late soldier, Major Maxwell Adam Mahama, suffered at the hands of his assailants, all the while pleading his innocence and died in the end. The atmosphere in the courtroom was tense and facial expressions and reactions by court officials, defense lawyers, prosecution and the gallery was that of shock and horror, at the gruesome manner in which the promising young soldier lost his life. Chief Inspector Samuel Agyakwa who investigated the case and was the prosecution’s fourteenth witness, identified thirteen of the 14 persons who stood trial, in the video, who were striking the late solider, mainly in the head with stones, cement blocks and other objects several times. One of the suspects, was seen in the video holding a gun to the deceased, all the while kicking him. 22 suspects including one female were initially arrested in connection with the crime, but were reduced to fourteen suspects during committal proceedings. Per the Autopsy report, Major Mahama, died from multiple head injuries from blunt objects and gun wounds. Prosecution closed its case after calling 14 witnesses.
On July 4, 2022, the court ruled that prosecution made prima facie case and called on the accused to open defence. All 14 accused persons, raised various defenses to the extent that, they were innocent of the offenses preferred against them. Relating to the matter, the Court has asked for the iPhone 6s Plus belonging to the deceased, to be released to his family. Lawyers for some of the convicts say they will appeal the verdict.
