According to a witness who is one of the 14 people accused of murdering Major Maxwell Adam Mahama, he just touched the military officer's trousers and had no involvement in the lynching.
Emmanuel Badu, a mason by trade, claimed that on May 29, 2017, while traveling to Sefwi Bekwai for work from Denkyira Obuasi in the Central Region, he saw a crowd pursuing an alleged armed robber. He claimed that while he picked up a stone, he did not throw it and did not take part in the lynching.
The defendant stated, in response to a question from the prosecutor, Chief State Attorney Frances Mullen Ansah, that he (Badu) actively participated in the lynching and hurled stones at Major Mahama.
says all he did was touch the soldier's pants while asking Major Mahama where he was from.
According to Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson of Graphic Online from the High Court in Accra, where Badu, the 12th accused individual, launched his defense on Monday, the claims
Supposed lynching
On May 29, 2017, Major Mahama was fatally wounded in Denkyira Obuasi in the Central Region.
He was allegedly lynched while out for a morning stroll that took him through the neighborhood.
In relation to the killing of the military officer, 14 people are now on trial, including the local assemblyman at the time, William Baah.
On counts ranging from murder, aiding murder, and conspiracy to commit crimes, they have all pleaded not guilty. Cross-examination
Badu testified in court under the direction of his attorney, George Bernard Shaw, that he was detained in Elubo in the Western Region following the murder of Major Mahama.
In the course of his cross-examination, Badu admitted to the court that he had actually informed the police that on May 29, 2017, he was driving a commercial automobile from Ayanfuri to Sefwi Bekwai when it became stuck in traffic at Denkyira Obuasi.
According to him, he learned that the gridlock was caused by an armed robber who was being pursued by the locals; this, he claimed, caused those in the car to flee frantically.
The defendant further stated that he witnessed individuals using sticks and other objects to pursue the alleged "armed robber."
The accuser was then informed by Mrs. Mullen Ansah that he actively participated in the lynching and that Badu had admitted to throwing a stone at Major Mahama in his testimony to the police.
Mr. Shaw protested vigorously to that, claiming the prosecutor had misled the court and that his client had told the police and was quoted in the statement as saying he had intended to hurl the stone but had not really done so.
Justice Mariama Owusu, the preeminent judge and a Justice of the Supreme Court who also serves as a Justice of the High Court, overturned the objection and instructed the defense attorney to let the accused respond to the question rather than refuse to.
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