Sogakope Assembly Member Murder: Mason Gets Life Imprisonment

Five years after the robbery and murder of Sogakope Assembly Member Mawuli Adzahli at his residence, the ringleader of the gang, Richard Adikyere, has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

The court in Ho presided over by Justice Daniel Ekow Mensah also sentenced two accomplices to 47 years each in jail for robbery.

Adikyere, a mason, had pleaded not guilty to robbery, possession of firearms without lawful authority, and murder.

The two others, Emmanuel Hedzro, unemployed and Stephen Adzibolo, also pleaded not guilty to robbery.

But they were all found guilty by the court.

Four other accomplices in the case, Obed Ayornu, Michael Sam, Samuel Kofi Zotorvi, and his twin brother, Christain Zotorvi who entered plea deals with the court and pleaded guilty for their complicity in the case, were each sentenced to 15 years at an earlier hearing.

The court heard that Hedzro, the first accused in the case, sometime in 2020 informed his friend Adikyere that there was a wealthy merchant in Sogakope, and then instructed him to recruit a gang to join them to rob him.

The first accused then led Adikyere to show him the house of the assembly member and subsequently Adikyere recruited other gangsters for the operation.

Senior State Attorney, Andrews Dodzi Adugu said as part of the robbery operation, Adikyere, Adzibolo, Ayornu, and Sam stormed the house of Mawuli Adzahli on March 1, 2020, at about 1:30 am and broke into the room using cement blocks.

The court was told that a pump action gun and two pistols belonging to Adikyere were also used for the operation.

In the process, the prosecution said, Adikyere shot the merchant three times and killed him at the scene, before the gang took away a large sum of money from the house.

A post-mortem examination at the Sogakope District Hospital revealed the cause of death as head and chest injuries from gun shots at close range.

Days after the incident, the police arrested the accused persons, including Hedzro who had used his share of the booty to buy himself a motorbike, valued at GH¢4,800.

The accused were arrested at different locations, including Ashaiman.

During interrogation, Adikyere admitted he shot and killed the assembly member with a pump action gun.

It also emerged that Adikyere stole the gun from an earlier robbery incident, the court was further told.

Giving judgement, the court said it took into account the heinous and callous nature of the offences committed by the accused persons, leading to loss of the life of a productive human being.

The court said it also considered the overwhelming evidence from the prosecution to prove its case.

As they were being led out of court, Adikyere who was handcuffed to Hedzro attempted to attack journalists who were trying to take photographs of them.

Source: Graphic