Mother of slain army Major Maxwell Adam Mahama says the conviction and sentencing of her son’s killers has still not given her the closure she very much desired.
In a meeting with the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, on January 31, Madam Veronica Bamford cautioned the current government and any future government, not to contemplate granting a presidential pardon to any of the killers.
“I hope this never happens to anyone. I have suffered a lot. I don’t know if I will ever recover from this. A son I brought up the right way… he had a gun on him but he didn’t shoot anybody. In case you didn’t know he was the best shot of his intake. He won the award for the best shot.
“My son was a crack shot; he had a gun yet he didn’t kill anybody and I’m thankful to God for that. I’m glad he didn’t have the blood of anyone on his hands.
“It’s in court I got to hear some of the things, most of the things I heard about his death was accidental.
“To the murderers and all the people of Denkyira Obuasi, they approached me to name a street after him and I said why would I want my son’s name to be associated so I said no.
“Any government that will ever come into power and gives them parole will have the blood of my son on their hands,” Madam Veronica Bamford said as she visibly shook with tears.
It would be recalled that a 7-member jury has found twelve accused persons standing trial for the alleged murder of Major Adam Mahama guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and committing murder.
They are Bernard Asamoah, Kofi Nyame, Charles Kwaning, Kwame Tuffuor, Joseph Appiah Kubi, Michael Anim John Bosie, Akwesi Asante, Emmanuel Baidoo and Kwadzo Anima.
Among the convicts was the assemblyman of Denkyira-Obuasi, William Baah, who was also found guilty of Abetment to commit crime namely murder.
Following the verdict of the jury, the Financial and Economic Court 2, presided over by Justice Mariama Owusu sentenced the convicts to life imprisonment.
Two others, Bismark Donkor and Bismark Abanga were found not guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and were subsequently acquitted and discharged.
Clad in black and other funeral attires, family of the slain soldier represented by his mother, Veronica Bamford, his father, Captain Rtd Denis Mahama and other members thronged the court.
His mother on several occasions had to be consoled as she struggled with tears during the proceedings. Madam Veronica had a brief joyful stint shortly after the verdict was read as she could be seen elated by the sentence given to the twelve.
Background
Per the brief facts the prosecution presented to the court, Major Mahama was the commander of a military detachment stationed at Diaso in the Upper Denkyira West District in the Central Region to check illegal mining activities.
At 8 am on May 29, 2017, Major Mahama, wearing civilian clothes but with his sidearm, left his detachment base for a 20-kilometre jogging.
At 9:25 a.m., the military officer got to the outskirts of Denkyira Obuasi, where a number of women were selling foodstuffs by the roadside.
He stopped to interact with the women and even bought some snails, which he left in their custody to be taken up on his return from jogging.
While he was taking out money from his pocket to pay for the snails, the woman from whom he had bought the snails and a few others saw his sidearm tucked to his waist.
Soon after he left, one of the women telephoned the assembly member for Denkyira Obuasi to report what they had seen.
“Without verifying the information, the assembly member mobilised the accused persons and others, some now at large, to attack the military officer,” the prosecution stated.
It added that the mob met Major Mahama near the Denkyira Obuasi cemetery and, without giving him the opportunity to explain and identify himself, “attacked him with implements such as clubs, cement blocks and machetes, killed him and burnt a portion of his body”.
