Nana Yaw Osei, lawyer for Gregory Afoko, the accused person charged for the murder of former NPP Upper East Regional Chairman, Adams Mahama has asserted that his client’s trial was politically motivated.
Speaking in an interview with TV3 hours after Afoko was granted bail after nine years in detention, Yaw Osei unequivocally alleged that some political big wigs within the New Patriotic Party had influenced the trial processes, the reason he believes Afoko was denied bail on several occasions.
He claimed that some NPP members who had fallen out with Afoko’s elder brother, Paul Afoko, a former national chairman of the party were responsible for the machinations in Afoko’s trial.
“Personally, I have always thought that Afoko’s trial had more to do with politics than a simple criminal trial. Where politics means that there were people within his big brother’s party who wanted to do him ill.
“Nobody can convince me that there wasn’t any political hand pushing the matter. Why will the police decide that they will not bring somebody to come and execute a bail bond.
“What interest do the police have? Somebody was clearly pushing the police and I say this without any contradiction, I am very clear in my mind,” he said on News Central, February 21.
However, Nana Yaw Osei is optimistic that the police will at this point handle the matter professionally.
The Accra High Court on Friday, February 21, 2025 granted Gregory Afoko bail of GHC500,000.
The conditions include two sureties to be justified with landed properties. The court also ordered Gregory Afoko to report to the chief investigator or the regional crime officer in Accra once every two weeks, until the case is completed or determined.
Lawyers of Afoko filed for the bail application on Monday, February 17, his third attempt since his trial began in 2015.
On April 27, 2023, a jury returned a 4-verdict of not guilty against Afoko, on the charges of conspiracy to commit murder and murder.
Following the jury’s verdict, a retrial was to be done for Gregory Afoko while his accomplice, Asabke Alangdi was handed a death sentence after a guilty verdict.
Gregory Afoko granted bail after nearly a decade in detention
