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The family members of Gregory Afoko, who is standing trial at an Accra Fast Track High Court in connection with his alleged role played in the gruesome murder of the late Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, NPP, Adams Mahama, have hinted they will soon petition the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney-General on what they describe as 'unfair' detention of Gregory Afoko.

Gregory Afoko, a brother of the suspended national Chairman for the NPP, Paul Afoko and one other have been held in prison custody for their alleged involvement in the murder of Mr. Mahama at his residence in Tindong-Sobligo, a suburb of Bolgatanga on May 21, 2015. The issue has still left the immediate family of Mr. Mahama in grave devastation.

In a news conference to preceed the petition in Sandema, capital of the Builsa North District in the Upper East Region, the family of Gregory Afoko said: "eventhough, our son, brother and relative has been in incarceration for almost two years in connection with the killing of the late Adams Mahama, we have been very clear in our minds that Gregory Afoko is 'INNOCENT' and that the true killers of the late Adams Mahama are still walking the streets of Ghana as free people".

Addressing the media, the Spokesperson for the family, Robert Atong Asekabta, said the recent revelations by the Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP, Daniel Bugri Naabu, regarding the alleged involvement of the Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Bukari and the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Miss. Otiko Djaba in the killing of the Chairman ought to be taken seriously by the security and the Ghana Police Service.

On that score, he demanded Mr. Bukari, Mr. Naabu and and Miss Djaba be arrested to also assist police probe into the murder of the late NPP Chairman.

"As stated already, it was someone's allegation in connection with the killing of Adams against Gregory Afoko that led to his arrest from his sleep at dawn by the police. Despite his(Gregory Afoko) repeated denials of the act he has been accused of, he is still in prison custody and presently facing trial at the High Court", the Spokesperson indicated angrily.

The family also lashed out at the police for their failure to embark on a thorough investigations into the criminal matter, saying "the police have not widened the net of their investigations enough.

"For instance, some hours after the night Adams Mahama sadly passed on, the current National Nasara Coordinator of the NPP, one Kamal Deen Abdulai, was heard in the media saying that he had called to inform the late Adams to take issues of his personal security seriously and that he should be prayerful. This comment calls for investigation, and Kamal should be invited by the police to answer questions in relation to that".

Underscoring the need for the police to initiate criminal proceedings against the above-stated political bigwigs, Mr. Asekabta urged the police to fast track the investigations, adding they believed Mr. Afoko had no hand in the killing of the late NPP Chairman.

He asked the court to grant the alleged assailant bail since he had a permanent place of abode, stressing the people of Sandema were hopeful Gregory Afoko would walk out of the prison custody as a 'free man'.

The Afoko's Family, therefore, appealed to the Ghana Bar Association, GBA, Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs, Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, CHRAJ and other social activists to join the crusade to amplify the call on the judiciary and the police to ensure fair trial on the case involving Mr. Afoko, who is standing trial at the High Court in connection with the murder of the former Upper East Regional NPP Chairman, Mr. Mahama.