20th May 2021, marks exactly six (6) years since Greg Afoko was arrested in Bolgatanga on the trumped up charge of allegedly pouring acid on one, Adams Mahama, a former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Some years later after his arrest and detention, an alleged accomplice in the person of Asabke Alangdi was also arrested.
They are presently standing trial which is progressing at a snail’s pace. That’s even an understatement!
I visited Gregory Afoko today (20/5/2021) at the BNI (now NIB) regional office near the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, and he had story to tell me.
Let me state right from the outset that Greg used to be in custody at the regional headquarters until he was, on 20th of January 2021, transferred to what he described to me as a small cell at the NIB headquarters near the Ghana Immigration Service headquarters in Accra. The cell has very little or no ventilation at all.
So, any time I visit, he’s brought from the national headquarters to the regional headquarters to see me (as one of his lawyers). That’s what is done to any visitor to an inmate.
Greg has been suffering from a litany of medical conditions: hypertension, heart problems, swollen feet, kidney, eye problems, toothaches and an excessively swollen bicep ( the upper part of his right arm).
He’s been in and out of hospital battling these health conditions. He’s due for another visit to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) tomorrow (21/5/21) for series of medical examination.
As an inmate, the State through the police in whose custody he is, does not buy the prescribed drugs for him. He would buy the drugs with his own money with the promise that the police would refund the money to him but it doesn’t get refunded.
Do not get confused! Greg is supposed to be in police custody but the police have taken him to the BNI cells to be kept there. So, even though he’s in the custody of the BNI it’s the police who are charge of his everything.
With all these, the courts have refused to grant him bail except for the one which was granted to him in March 2020 but which the police refused to release him.
Let no one lie that Greg was not released because he could not meet the bail conditions imposed on him by the court. I state emphatically that Gregory met all the conditions but the police with colonial mantra of “order from above” refused to allow the court’s order to be operationalized. That was our version of Rule of Law in this country.
He tells me food is a problem in terms of its quality and quantity. It has always been rice or banku with light soup. Some times water to drink becomes a problem. They would promise him that water was on its way but it doesn’t come.
He tells me would request to speak with his lawyers and he would be denied.
People, Greg is rotting away in detention even though he’s supposed to be innocent until proven guilty.
To the extent that there’s medical evidence that the inmate’s health has been deteriorating yet it’s to the delight of some people in power.
I told him today that he will live to tell his story one day as a free person!
#Rule of Law?
#Accused person suffering in cells/prisons for 6 years!
#Is the system not punishing him already?
#Accused persons have rights!
#Remand prisoners have rights!
#Prisoners have rights!
#The law can be used to abused people’s rights.
#The law is being used to abuse Greg’s rights as a human being!
#Greg Afoko will not die!
LAWYER NANA YAW OSEI, a member of the legal team of Gregory Afoko
