The two accused persons in the case of the Republic verses Gregory Afoko and Alangdi Asabke have, in accordance with Sections 244 to 250 of the Criminal And Other Offences (Procedure ) Act – 1960 (Act 30), chosen a seven-member jury to try their case.

The accused persons exercised their legal right to choose the members of the jury. In all, they rejected three jurors drawn from the box by lot during the process before settling on the seven required by law.

According to Section 245 of Criminal And Other Offences (Procedure ) Act 1960 (Act 30), “the trials for all offences punishable by death shall be with a jury in accordance with section 244.

Section 246, states “at the sitting of the Court to try criminal cases triable by jury, the names of all the jurors summoned shall be written on separate pieces of card or paper of equal size and put into a box; and, whenever a jury is required, the Registrar or other officer of the Court shall, in open Court, draw from the box by lot until the required number of jurors appear, who, after all just cause of challenge allowed, remain as fair and indifferent; and this shall be done whenever it is necessary to form a new jury”.

The members of the jury chosen by the accused persons are Esther Obeniwaa, Doris Biney, Gloria Sagli, Albert Kanta, Jonathan Okutu, Daniel Deka and Silva Sowah. The two accused persons have been charged with two counts of Conspiracy to Commit Murder and Murder both of which are contrary to section 46 of the Criminal and other offences 1960 (Act 29). They both pleaded not guilty to the two counts when their pleas were taken in Court. The accused person were represented in Court by Stephen Sowah Charway (1st Accused) and Andrews Kudzo Vortia (2nd Accused).

Chief State Attorney Marina Appiah Opare, after reading the brief facts of the case in open court indicated to the jury that the State will be calling nineteen (19) witnesses during the trial.



Lawyer for the second accused person [Alangdi Asabke], Andrews Kudzo Vortia, before the ruling of the court asked the Presiding Judge to order the Bureau National Investigation (BNI) to afford him ample time whenever he wants to see his client.

Justice Merley Afua Wood in her ruling ordered the BNI to give lawyers of the second accused person adequate time whenever they wish to see him. She subsequently adjourned sitting to the 26th of July, 2019, for the trial to begin. – Wilberforce Asare