Sogakope assemblyman’s killer sentenced to life in prison as accomplices get 47 years

Five years after the brutal killing of Sogakope Assemblyman Mawuli Adzahli, justice has finally been served as the man behind the attack, Richard Adikyere, was handed a life sentence by a High Court in Ho.

Presiding Judge Justice John Ekow Mensah also imposed an additional 47-year jail term on Adikyere for robbery, to be served concurrently with the life sentence.

Two other members of the gang, Emmanuel Hedzro and Stephen Adzibolo, were each sentenced to 47 years in prison for their roles in the violent robbery. All three had denied the charges brought against them, which included robbery, illegal possession of firearms, and in Adikyere’s case, murder. However, the court found them guilty after a full trial.

Four other accomplices—Obed Ayornu, Michael Sam, and twins Samuel and Christian Zotorvi—who admitted to their involvement in the crime through plea bargains, were sentenced earlier to 15 years each.

According to the prosecution, the plan to rob the assemblyman originated in 2020 when Hedzro informed Adikyere about a supposedly wealthy merchant in Sogakope. Hedzro later pointed out the victim’s house, prompting Adikyere to assemble a gang for the robbery.

On the night of March 1, 2020, around 1:30 a.m., the gang forcibly entered the assemblyman’s home using cement blocks to break down the door. Armed with a pump-action shotgun and two pistols, Adikyere shot Adzahli three times, resulting in fatal head and chest wounds. The gang made off with a significant amount of cash.

A subsequent autopsy at the Sogakope District Hospital confirmed that the victim died from close-range gunshot injuries. Police investigations traced the suspects to multiple locations, including Ashaiman, and revealed that Hedzro used part of his loot to buy a GH¢4,800 motorbike.

During police interrogation, Adikyere admitted to firing the deadly shots. The court also heard that the pump-action gun used in the killing had been stolen in a previous robbery.

In delivering judgment, the court described the crime as “heinous and cold-blooded,” stressing that the evidence against the accused was overwhelming. As officers escorted the convicts from the courtroom, Adikyere, handcuffed to Hedzro, attempted to lunge at journalists photographing the scene.