Maj. Mahama Trial: Video evidence to be shown in open court

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By
Morkporkpor Anku, GNA

Accra, Feb. 27, GNA
– An Accra High Court has admitted a video recording of how Major Maxwell Adam
Mahama was allegedly murdered by the 14 persons now on trial and directed that
it should be shown in open court on March 17.

The court on
February 13, this year dismissed an objection by the defence, when the
prosecution sought to tender the flash drive containing the video as evidence.

Justice Mariama
Owusu, a Justice of the Supreme Court sitting as an additional High Court
Judge, delivering a ruling on the issue on Thursday said it was better for the
video to be admitted as evidence first before it could be shown in open court.

The presiding judge
indicated that if the video was first played in open court before it was
admitted as evidence, it would prejudice the court as the jury would form
opinions and that even if the court rejects the video later, such opinions
could not be erased from their memory.

She said she has not
watched the video, and would not be watching it video, adding that “I have even
admonished the jury to refrain from listening to all discussions on the case in
the media, particularly radio and television”.

Earlier, Chief
Inspector Samuel Agyakwa, the Investigator in the case, told the court that the
video contains details of how the late Major Mahama was allegedly murdered, but
the defence objected to the tendering of the video evidence.

The witness who was
being led by Mrs Evelyn Keelson, Chief State Attorney, to give his evidence in
chief, said it came out that the following were not in the video William Baah,
John Boasie, Bismarck Abanga, Kwadwo Anima, and Donkor Bismarck.

He said apart from
those mentioned above, the rest were seen in the video hitting the late Mahama
with implements like sticks, cement blocks and metal bars.

“My investigations
also revealed that Charles Kwaning and Kwesi Asante were the ones, who shot the
late Major Mahama,” he added.

He said after the
investigations it became known that William Baah, John Boasie, Bismarck Abanga,
Kwadwo Anima, and Donkor Bismarck used their fists to attack the deceased.

The investigator
told the court that after watching the video, he copied it on a pen drive and
with the assistance of a crime scene expert; they captured crime scene shots
from the video.

Fourteen persons 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.

GNA