Defence counsel in the case involving Gregory Afoko, who has been accused of the murder of the former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, on Wednesday, continued cross-examination of the third prosecution witness.

Mr Osafo Buabeng, asked the witness, Mr Asigri Quinn, whether Adams Mahama knew his engine was running before he gave him the alleged bunch of keys, but he said he could not tell because he only got to know the engine was running, when he got closer to the car, and could not return the keys back to him.

He said he was not present when Adams was admitted to the emergency ward because he was parking the car, but when he got there he noticed that his bed at the ward has not been cordoned off and everyone could see him.

He told the court that, when he got there, the doctors and nurses were attending to Adams, and were constantly with him, but he could not tell whether they also heard Adams mentioning Afoko and Asake to his wife and Taufic as those who poured the acid on him.

The witness said he, Hajia Mahama, Taufic, Mariam and Zuweira together with some others and the doctors and nurses were all standing close to the deceased’s bedside.

Mr Buabeng told the witness that, the emergency ward of the hospital was restricted, as such none of them was allowed in, but he denied, affirming that they were all beside Adams’ bed at the ward at that moment.

He told the court that he was around Adams for 15 minutes before he left, and when he got there it took Taufic about six minutes before arriving there.

Mr Quinn said at the time he was leaving the hospital Adams was wailing and mourning and the upper part of his body was peeling off, from his head to his waist but he was able to talk and was reciting the Quran as well.

The case was later adjourned to July 18 and 20, for further cross-examination of the witness.

At the last adjourned date the witness ended his evidence in chief, and the defence counsel begun cross-examination.

The Prosecution intends to call 12 other witnesses, in addition to Hajia Adams, Madam Issaka and Quinn.

Gregory Afoko, a farmer, is alleged to have killed Mr Adams Mahama. Afoko is being held on the charges of conspiracy to commit crime (murder) and murder. However, he has pleaded not guilty before the Court, which is also composed of a seven-member jury.

It is alleged that Afoko carried out the act with one Alandgi Asake, who is on the run.

A third accomplice, Musa Issa, was granted bail after the Attorney-General opined that there was not enough evidence to prosecute him.

The GNA earlier reported that on February 23, last year, an Accra District Court committed Afoko to stand trial at the High Court to answer to the charges against him.

The State at the committal proceedings tendered more than 17 exhibits in respect of the trial.

The exhibits include Afoko’s caution and charge statements as well as a post-mortem report of the deceased conducted on November 25, 2015, by Dr Lawrence Edusei; a medical report on the deceased’s wife, who also sustained injuries in her bid to assist the deceased when the incident occurred.

Other exhibits are a gallon containing the alleged residue of acid found at the crime scene, a cup believed to have been used by the assailants in pouring the acid on the deceased, the deceased’s pair of shoes and attire and a piece of carpet in the deceased car.

The rest are various reports from the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), a pair of blue-black tracksuit belonging to Afoko and photographs of the crime scene.

The Prosecution is being led by Mr Nicolas Amponsah, Chief State Attorney, who told the court that Mr Adams was a contractor, who lived at the Bolgatanga SSNIT Flats in the Upper East Region and was also the NPP Regional Chairman.

According to Mr Amponsah, Afoko also lived in Bolgatanga and was the younger brother of Mr Paul Afoko, a former National Chairman of the NPP. The State said the accused was also a party activist and was close to Mr Adams.

On May 20, 2015, Mr Adams left his house to his construction site in his pickup truck with registration number NR 761-14.

The Chief State Attorney said he returned to the house in the night and at the entrance of his house, two men signaled him to roll down the window of his car.

He obliged and the two men, however, poured acid on him and fled on a motorbike.

Mr Amponsah said Mr Mahama shouted for help and his wife, Hajia Zenabu Adams went to his aid.

He said Mrs. Adams also sustained burns on her chest and breast in her bid to assist the victim.

According to Mr Amponsah, Adams told his wife that it was Gregory and Asanke, who poured the acid on him.

He also mentioned the two accused persons, in the presence of neighbors, as the people who poured the acid on him.

The Chief State Attorney said Mr Adams was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of the Bolgatanga Hospital where he passed on.

Afoko was picked up at about 02:00 hours in his house and he led the Police to Asanke’s house. Asanke was, however, not available.

A postmortem conducted on the deceased by Dr Edusei indicated that Mr Adams died of extensive acid burns.