The Prosecution in the trial of the alleged murderers of the late Major Maxwell Mahama on Tuesday presented its second witness.
Madam Esther Tawiah, a trader in snails told an Accra High Court that on that fateful day of the murder of the late Major, she, together with other women were by the roadside selling snails and other food stuffs.
READ: Bizzare: Hunter, Buffalo fight to death
Madam Tawiah being led by Mrs Evelyn Keelson, Senior State Attorney to give her evidence in chief said while by the roadside, she saw the late Major Mahama coming from the left side of the road, while she was at the right side but he moved to where she was selling and greeted them
She said he enquired for the direction to Denkyira-Obuasi because he does not know the town so she gave him the directions, telling him to take his left and move a short distance.
READ: All set for Asempa FM’s Fathers Day fun fair 2018
Speaking through an interpreter the witness who spoke Twi said before the late Major left their presence, he then ask, if he decides to buy GH¢20.00 worth of snails, how many snails would he received and was told five pieces.
The witness said when the soldier turned to leave their presence she saw a pistol hanging on his waist and so she got scared and called one of the accused in the case being William Baah, who is an Assemblyman in the area.
“I called honourable to tell him that a man had come to ask of the directions to Denkyira-Obuasi, and that he has a pistol on him, please check and be sure or otherwise report to the Police,” she added.
READ: Three notorious armed robbers jailed 60 years each
Madam Tawiah said, she did not hear anything again from the Assembly man, until, a truck driver who was driving pass asked whether they had heard of some shooting incident in the town, but they answered in the negative and then went into hiding.
Madam Tawiah said whiles in hiding they heard that the town folks have arrested somebody and have beaten and killed the person.
She said “it was when l got home that l heard that it is the man, who had come to ask of the direction that have been killed and that soldiers are coming into the town, hence, due to that residents are fleeing to neighbouring towns.”
She told the court that it was at that moment that she also left the town to her hometown with her children and at the time her husband was away on a trip.
Meanwhile, during a cross-examination by Mr Patrick Anim Addo, counsel for some of the accused asked the witness, whether she later got to know that the late Major was not an armed robber and she said yes.
The Court presided over by Justice Mariama Owusu, adjourned to June Tuesday 19 for further cross-examination of the witness.
Fourteen persons are standing trial at the Accra High Court for the death of the Major Mahama, an Officer of the 5th Infantry Battalion at the Burma Camp, who was on duty at Denkyira-Oboasi, when on May 29, he was lynched by some residents, who allegedly mistook him for an armed robber because he had a pistol in his back pocket.
The mob ignored his persistent plea that he was an officer of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The accused are William Baah, the Assemblyman of Denkyira Obuasi, Bernard Asamoah alias Daddy, Kofi Nyarko aka Abortion, Akwasi Baah, Kwame Tuffour, Joseph Appiah Kubi, Michael Anim and Bismarck Donkor.
Others are John Bosie, Akwasi Baah, Charles Kwaning, Emmanuel Badu, Bismarck Abanga and Kwadwo Anima.