The Attorney-General has intervened in the trial of former NPP MP for Asokwa, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, after the accused petitioned her office, forcing prosecutors to terminate court hearing Monday.
The A-G and Minister of Justice, Marrietta Brew Oppong-Appiah, is said to be studying the petition and is expected to direct the police to open its case or abandon the trial.
The former MP and Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly is facing the possibility of a prison term for the unlawful destruction of electoral material during his party’s parliamentary primaries at the Asokwa constituency.
Kofi Jumah, who was an aspirant in the primaries was allegedly incensed by the conduct of the polls and barged into the polling station causing mayhem. He was immediately arrested and heard of his defeat behind bars.
He has been charged with second-degree felony which attracts imprisonment of up to 10 years.
Lawyer Appiah Twumasi Ankrah who represented Maxwell Kofi Jumah in court explained to Joy News’ Evans Mensah, they petitioned the Ministry of Justice because they believe the prosecution needs “advice”.
According to him, the fact sheets presented by the prosecution shows the police got their facts of the events of June 13, “wrong”.
“What we did today was very simple. We think that the offences leveled against the client, we did not commit them”, he stressed.
Although prosecution is done by or on behalf of the Attorney-General, the lawyer says short of advice from the A-G's department on the matter, his client would not get fair trial so they want the A-G to “come in and do the prosecution themselves”.
They believe this request for a second look by the A-G is “only fair”.
But prosecutor, Supt. Emmanuel Akonor maintains not every docket must be okayed by the Attorney-General before prosecution can start.
He maintains that the prosecution’s “evidence is very strong” and there is “no doubt” that they can secure a conviction in court.
If the police’s facts are wrong it should rather encourage Maxwell Kofi Jumah to feel confident of walking out unscathed and a free man, Emmanuel Akonor stated.
“It is not the police that is going to judge this matter, it is the judges,” he pointed out.
Recounting Monday’s proceedings in a court in Kumasi, he said the prosecution had lined up its witnesses and was about to open its case. But he received a letter from the Attorney-General’s Department directing that the docket be brought to Accra because the A-G wants to first review the evidence before the trial could resume.
He is however confident in the competence of the Attorney-General to provide the feedback before the full trial can resume.
The case has been adjourned to July 6, 2015.
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