A High Court in Ghana has acquitted and discharged William Baah, the Assemblyman for Denkyira Obuasi, who was previously sentenced to life imprisonment for his alleged role in the 2017 lynching of Major Maxwell Mahama. The presiding judge ruled that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Baah was complicit in the lynching.
Major Mahama, a commissioned officer of the Ghana Armed Forces, was brutally mobbed and killed on May 29, 2017, while on official duty in Denkyira Obuasi, Central Region. The incident sparked widespread outrage and led to calls for justice and reform in addressing mob violence in Ghana.
The court’s decision to acquit Baah came after a thorough review of the evidence presented during the trial. Baah’s legal team expressed satisfaction with the judgment, describing it as a vindication after years of public scrutiny and legal battles. The Ghana Armed Forces and Major Mahama’s family have not yet issued an official response to the court’s ruling.
Related News
– Major Mahama’s Case: The lynching of Major Mahama led to the passage of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 (Act 999) to combat mob justice and political violence in Ghana.
– Trial Outcome: The acquittal of William Baah does not affect the ongoing proceedings against the remaining accused persons involved in the case ¹.
Follow-up questions:
What are the implications of this acquittal on the fight against mob justice in Ghana? How has the public reacted to the court’s decision?