Richard Adikyere, the ringleader behind the shocking murder of Sogakope Assembly Member Mawuli Adzahli, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Ho High Court, five years after the crime.
Two of his accomplices, Emmanuel Hedzro and Stephen Adzibolo, were each given 47 years in prison for their roles in the deadly robbery.
Four other men involved in the case namely: Obed Ayornu, Michael Sam, Samuel Kofi Zotorvi, and his twin brother Christian Zotorvi, had earlier entered plea deals and received 15-year sentences each.
The court, presided over by Justice Daniel Ekow Mensah, heard chilling details of how the crime was carefully planned and violently executed. According to Senior State Attorney Andrews Dodzi Adugu, the first accused, Hedzro, had told Adikyere in 2020 about a “rich man” living in Sogakope. He later led him to Adzahli’s house, and Adikyere went on to recruit other gang members for the robbery mission.
On the night of March 1, 2020, at around 1:30 am, Adikyere, Adzibolo, Ayornu, and Sam attacked the assemblyman’s home. They broke into the house using cement blocks and carried with them deadly weapons, including a pump action gun and two pistols owned by Adikyere.
The attack turned deadly when Adikyere shot the now deceased, Adzahli three times, killing him instantly. The gang fled the scene with a large amount of cash. A post-mortem report from the Sogakope District Hospital revealed that Adzahli died from gunshot wounds to the head and chest at close range.
Police tracked down and arrested the accused at various locations, including Ashaiman. During interrogation, Adikyere confessed to shooting the assemblyman and revealed that he had stolen the pump action gun from a previous robbery. Investigators also found that Hedzro used his share of the loot to buy a motorbike worth GH¢4,800.
Despite pleading not guilty to charges of robbery, murder, and illegal possession of firearms, Adikyere and the others were found guilty by the court. Justice Mensah said the sentencing was based on the brutal nature of the crime and the strong evidence presented by the prosecution.
The drama didn’t end in the courtroom. As the convicted men were being escorted out, Adikyere, still handcuffed to Hedzro, attempted to attack journalists who were taking photos of them.
This ruling brings a sense of closure to a community that has waited five long years for justice in the murder of one of its most respected leaders.
