One of the lawyers defending the 14 people accused of killing Major Maxwell Adam Mahama has accused the military of playing a role in the death of the military officer.
According to Lawyer Anim Addo, the military detatchment commanded by Major Mahama that was deployed to the Diaso area failed to make its presence known to the people in the area.
As a result of what he described as “secret presence’’, The counsel said the people of Denkyira Obuasi did not know that there was a military presence in the area and hence mistook Major Mahama for a robber and lynched him.
Mr Anim Addo, made the comments when he cross-examined WO Sabi Kwesi, the first prosecution witness at the Accra High Court on Tuesday.
“I suggest to you that one of the main causes of this tragedy is your secret presence in the area. People did not know there was an army presence in the area,’’ Mr Anim Addo stated.
“I cannot tell,” the witness replied.
WO Kwesi was Major Mahama’s second-in command of the military detachment that was deployed to Diaso, 20 kilometres from Denkyira Obuasi in the Central Region, where Major Mahama was killed.
WO Kwesi had earlier told the court in his evidence-in-chief that the detachment, made up of 31 men, was deployed to Diaso on May 9, 2017 to protect the properties of Canada and Ghana Mining Company Limited (C&G).
Mr Addo further asked WO Kwesi whether their deployment to Diaso was sanctioned by the Military High Command.
Mr Anim Addo: Were you working as part of Ghana’s Army or as private contractors?
At that point the prosecutor, Mrs Evelyn Keelson, a Chief State Attorney, objected to the question but the presiding judge, Mrs Mariama Owusu, allowed the question to stand.
WO Kwesi: I was working for the Ghana Army. It was the army that took me there so I was working for the army.
Mr Anim Addo: Do you know where C&G was operating from?
WO Kwesi: No
Mr Anim Addo: You did not know C&G’s base of operation and you were protecting them.
The witness answered that he was not part of the team that normally went out of the base and, therefore, he could not tell where C&G operated from.
Hearing continues on June 12, 2018, where the prosecution is expected to call its second witness.
Major Mahama was killed at Denkyira Obuasi on May 29, 2017.
He is said to have been lynched during a morning walk that led him to Denkyira Obuasi.
Fourteen people, including William Baah, a former Assembly Member of Denkyira Obuasi, are standing trial in connection with the death of the military officer.
They have all pleaded not guilty to charges ranging from murder, abetment to murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Source: graphic.com.gh
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Was Aleska C&G not ordered to stop the galamsey activities in the community as it was destroying their livelihoods and environment and it was flouted with security operatives sent to protect the galamsey activities?
hmmm, i guess soldiers will now rise against thins saying of theirs "obey before complain" , hmm for a 2IC to have no knowledge of such operations is alarming. hmmm Max rest well.
I AGREE WITH YOUR DISCENT IN THE UNLAWFUL TAKING OF SOME ONES LIFE NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCE OR ''SUSPECTED CRIME''. THE TAKING OF SOMEONES LIFE MEERLY ON SUSPICION OF A CRIME MAY NOT HOLD MR LEE & JAMAL. BUT IT WILL EQUALLY BE WRONG NOT TO ESTABLISH THE BASIS OR CIRCUMSTANCES THE BROUGHT ABOUT OR IGNITED THAT ANIMALISTIC REACTION TO ''OSTENSIBLY'' SAFE GAURD THEIR COMMUNITY OF INVADING ILLEGALITY - HERE, I MEAN, ARMED RUBBERS ANDTHIEVES. THE LOST OF THE FINE SOLDIER WAS TRAGIC, AVOIDABLE, AND A MISUSE OF THE COUNTRY'S HUMAN RESOURCE BECAUSE IT APPEARS THEIR PRESENCE AT DENKYIRA OBUASI WAS NOT STATE SANCTIONED. WHY WOULD THE DETATCHMENT OF 31 NOT ALL UNDER THEIR COMMANDER NOT GO ON DAILY ROUTINE EXERCISE IN THE TOWN, AT LEAST TO SHOW THEIR VISIBILITY, PRESENCE AND PURPOSE FOR DENKYIRA OBUASI TO APPRECIATE? SUCH DAILY MORNING EXERCISES WOULD HAVE BECOME COMMON KNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATED BY THE INHABITANTS. BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER WAS, AND STILL IS..C&G IS AN ILLEGAL CONCESSIONEERS AND OPERATING WANTONLY AND ILLEGALLY ON THE PEOPLE OF DENKYIRA AND FOR THAT MATTER, GHANA'S PROPERTY. FACT-2: POWERFUL PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT AND SOME BUSINESSMEN AFFILIATED TO THE PREVIOUS AND PRESENT REGIME, AND EVEN SOME MILITARY TOP HEIRACHY HAD INTEREST IN MILKING GHANA DRY IN THAT CONCESSION OF A FOREST RESERVE AND THEREFORE DECIDED TO BYPASS, UNDERCOVER TO SANCTION TROOPS TO PROTECT WHEN SOME DO NOT EVEN KNOW THEIR OPERATIONS WAS NOT STATE SANCTIONED. BELIEVE YOU ME, JAMAL&LEE, THAT WE WOULD NEED A RUTHLESS ''MARTIN AMIDU JUDGE'' TO FREELY ALLOW ALL ISSUES BEHIND THE ISSUES TO THE FORE FOR EVERY GHANAIANS APPRECIATION, THAT OUR SON, BROTHER, HUSBAND, COUSINE, FATHER AND CITIZEN OF GHANA WAS NEEDLESSLY SACRIFICED FOR GREED AND AVARICES...FOR A START C&G MUST COMPLETELY CLOSE DOWN NO MATTER WHAT...2 A PROPERLY ANNOUNCED AND IDENTIFYABLE STATE SACTIONED FORCE TO PROTECT THE FOREST RESERVE AND THE AREA OF THE ILLEGAL C&G OPERATION UNTILL FURTHER NOTICE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FOREST & MINERAL COMMISION. FINALLY MY BROS JAMAL & LEE, THIS CASE AND ALL, AS UNFORTUNATE AS IT AFFECTS THE CONSCIENCE OF EVERY ONE IN GHANA TODAY...CAN...METHINKS.....ONLY PASS FOR MANSLAUGHTER.
This lawyer needs to be encastrated. Does law in Ghana permits you to kill anybody you do not know? ***barred word*** lawyer.
This is interesting! The second in- command does not know the operational area. How did he issued a command to his team and where did he ask them to go? How do you protect an area you are not familiar with?
THAT IS NON SENSE, GHANA LAW DOES NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO LYNCHED EVEN AN ARMED ROBBER. PLEASE MR LAWYER DONT SUPPORT EVIL