The High Court in Ho has sentenced Richard Adikyere, a mason, to life imprisonment for his role in the robbery and murder of Marcus Mawuli Adzahli, the Assembly Member for Sogakope South. The incident occurred in the early hours of March 1, 2020, at the victim’s residence.
Two of Adikyere’s accomplices, Emmanuel Hedzro and Stephen Adzibolo, were each handed 47-year prison sentences after also pleading not guilty to robbery charges.
In an earlier ruling, four other accomplices — Obed Ayornu, Michael Sam, and twin brothers Samuel Kofi Zotorvi and Christian Zotorvi — received 15-year sentences each. They had entered plea deals and pleaded guilty to their involvement in the crime.
Details of the Crime
According to the prosecution, led by Senior State Attorney Andrews Dodzi Adugu, Hedzro, the first accused, had informed Adikyere in 2020 about a supposed wealthy merchant in Sogakope and asked him to assemble a gang for a robbery. He later led Adikyere to the home of the supposed target — Assembly Member Marcus Adzahli.
Adikyere subsequently recruited additional accomplices for the planned heist.
On the night of the attack, Adikyere, Adzibolo, Ayornu, and Sam broke into Adzahli’s home at around 1:30 a.m., using cement blocks to force entry. During the robbery, Adikyere shot Adzahli three times with a pump-action gun, killing him at the scene. The gang then made away with a large sum of money.
Adikyere later admitted during interrogation that he had stolen the firearm during a previous robbery.
Story by Elikplim Awuku
