Afoko case: Court adjourns IGP, CID boss contempt case to July 22

The contempt case against the Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante Apeatu and Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah has been adjourned to July 22, 2019.

According to the representatives of both respondents, the two had travelled out of the jurisdiction.

This was contained in a letter submitted to the judge in chambers.

David Asante Apeatu and  Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah were expected to appear in court today [Wednesday], to face charges of contempt over the continuous incarceration of a murder suspect, Gregory Afoko beyond lawful order.

The summoning of the two by the court followed the disregard of a court order in March 2019 granting bail to Mr. Afoko.

The judge was expected to deliver a ruling on whether the inaction of the two security chiefs was contempt of court.

Mr. Afoko was admitted to bail in the sum of GHC500,000 with two sureties in March 2019.

Afoko’s trial started in 2016 and was nearing completion after the prosecution and the defence counsel closed their cases.

But on January 28, 2019, the Attorney General filed a nolle prosequi to discontinue the trial following the arrest of another suspect, Asabke Alangdi, who had been on the run.

Afoko and Alangdi were then put before the Accra Central District Court on provisional charges of conspiracy to commit murder and murder.

Mr. Afoko challenged the discontinuation of the first case but the Supreme Court ruled that the Attorney General did nothing wrong.

According to the court, Mr. Afoko failed to prove that the Attorney General was unfair and unreasonable while exercising its constitutional powers.

But one of the judges, Justice Gabriel Pwamang in his concurring judgment said, going forward, the Attorney General must be more transparent in exercising such powers as it may have some consequence on public confidence in the criminal justice system.