General News of Thursday, 30 July 2015

Source: peacefmonline

BNI must appeal gunman's trial - Asiedu Nketiah

Johnson Asiedu Nketia - NDC General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia - NDC General Secretary

General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has expressed dissatisfaction in the quick trial and sentencing of the incarcerated Charles Antwi, who wanted to kill President John Dramani Mahama.

According to him, there is a fear that the incarcerated gunman will eventually walk a free man should anybody appeal on his behalf as it is becoming evident that the judge’s haste to make the accused person plead guilty as against the BNI's request will rather favor the accused.

Speaking on Okay Fm’s "Ade Akye Abia" Morning Show, General Mosquito, as he is known in political circus, bemoaned the hasty judgment by the Accra High Court judge, Justice Francis Obiri.

To him, finding out the person(s) behind the attempt on the President and the place the "mad man" bought the gun and how he managed to find where the President fellowship will helped to cement the case eventually.

“This is a serious case but many have made it a laughing issue; if the accused had succeeded in killing the president, the implication on the country would have been unbearable…the way the judge presided over the case is wrong because the BNI wanted the court to remand him for further investigation, and the judge decided to go on with the case,” he bemoaned.

“It looks to me the judgment rather will eventually set the accused person free and punish him…the judgment has paved way for an appeal and if the Appeals Court frees him, he walks away a free man and you can’t arrest him by the same charge,” he added.

He implored the BNI and the government to look for a way to appeal the sentence so that there can be investigations to unravel the mystery surrounding the assassination attempt on the life of President Mahama.

“The investigation into the case is not complete and now that he has been sentenced, it will be difficult to unravel certain questions which need answers. To me, the government itself should appeal against the ruling because the BNI did not go to seek for a trial of the case but to remand the accused for further investigations,” he stated.