William Baah, the Assemblyman for Denkyira Obuasi, who is the first accused in the case in which some 14 persons are standing trial for the murder of Major Maxwell Mahama, has told the seven-member jury hearing the case that one Yaw Amankwah and three others who shot at young military officer are not in court.
According to him, the said Yaw Amankwah and the other three who were mentioned to him are not part of the 14 persons currently before the High Court standing trial for charges including murder.
William Baah, also a teacher, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of abetment and is currently in the witness box mounting his defence. The 13 others who are waiting for their turn to open their defence have also denied the charges of conspiracy and murder. All of them are still in lawful custody as the jury trial continues.
In court on Monday, October 31, while facing further cross-examination from Lawyer Augustine Gyamfi, who is representing the seventh and eleventh accused, William Baah said he never organised anyone to beat or murder Major Mahama.
“The police involved me in their initial investigation. And I was told how the man (Major Mahama) died. What I heard was that the deceased was exchanging gunfire with Yaw Amankwah and Yaw Amankwah shot him,” William Baah told the jury under cross-examination.
He also noted that the said Yaw Amankwah is currently not before the court, and he also doesn’t know his whereabouts.
William Baah also told the court that he did not also hear any other name apart from Yaw Amankwah as the person who shot the late military officer.
Rasta the Tomato farmer
Asked to tell the jury if he knew about someone called Tipper, he answered in the affirmative, adding that he (Tipper) comes from Denkyira Obuasi, and after the incident, he (William Baah) heard he also fired a gun.
William Baah also told the jury that when he was brought to the Cape Coast Police Station, he heard the police mention one ‘Rasta the Tomato farmer’ as one of the people who shot at Major Mahama.
Asked by counsel Augustine Gyamfi if he knew one Yaw Annang, the accused said no. But, added that the name he knew was Yaw Annor and the said Yaw Annor was the one in possession of the gun said to be for major Mahama.
He told the jury that all four names, Tipper, Rasta the Tomato farmer, Yaw Annang and Yaw Annor are not in court.
William Baah told the jury that he only mentioned the names of Yaw Annor and Yaw Amankwah to the police when his statement was being taken.
Counsel for the 12th and 13th accused persons, Lawyer Patrick Anim Addo also took turns to grill William Baah.
The court presided over by Justice Mariama Owusu, a Justice of the Supreme Court sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court judge, adjourned the case to November 7.
EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent Murtala Inusah reports that the Prosecution will have the floor to grill William Baah.
Background
The late Major Mahama of the 5th Infantry Battalion, Burma Camp, Accra, was on duty at Denkyira-Obuasi, and 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 Assembly Member and 13 others are still in prison custody after they pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit crime, murder, abetment of crime, and other charges.
They are Baah, 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.