The prosecution in the trial of a 52-year-old legal practitioner accused of forging a will has decided to proceed with the case, Principal State Attorney Dominic Bakoma informed the Achimota Circuit Court.
This development follows the Attorney-General’s decision to take over the prosecution from the police in November last year after a petition from the complainant, Idris Salia.
The court, presided over by Akosua Anokyewaa Adjepong, has granted the prosecution until March 11, 2025, to study the docket and file all necessary documents before the next hearing.
The Charges
The accused, Joseph Kwow Addo Sam, a private legal practitioner, was charged alongside Alhaji Seidu Adams Baba, the Chief of Banda in Accra, and three siblings—Abdul Salia (alias Abdallai Salia Junior), Abubakar Salia, and Saeed Salia—in August 2024. They faced charges of conspiracy, forgery, altering official documents, and perjury.
At the time of filing, two of the siblings, Abdul Salia and Abubakar Salia, were on the run.
However, in October 2024, police prosecution amended the charge sheet, dropping charges against all three siblings.
Dissatisfied with this decision, complainant Idris Salia petitioned the Attorney-General’s Office on October 30, 2024, seeking further action.
Case Background
According to Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Isaac Babayi, who initially led the prosecution, the complainant, Idris Salia, is a businessman and son of the late Alhaji Salia Abdullai, who passed away on June 23, 2021.
A will surfaced, purported to be the last testament of the deceased, and was deposited at the High Court’s Probate Division in May 2024. The document listed the late Tony Kenyin Foli and Alhaji Seidu Adams Baba as witnesses.
However, Idris Salia grew suspicious upon obtaining a copy of the will. Private investigations led him to believe that both his late father’s and the late Tony Kenyin Foli’s signatures had been forged.
He subsequently petitioned the Director-General of the CID to investigate the matter.
Forensic Evidence and Investigations
A certified true copy of the will was obtained from the High Court’s Probate Division, along with a statement from the now-deceased Tony Kenyin Foli, whose name appeared as a witness.
Police investigations extended to Ecobank, GCB Bank, and the Registrar General’s Department, where signature samples of the late Alhaji Salia Abdullai were obtained.
Forensic examinations conducted by the Ghana Immigration Service’s Forensic Department and Spotlight Security Solutions revealed that the signatures on the will and Probate Form 35 were not authentic.
The findings concluded that the accused persons conspired to create a forged will, with Chief Banda (Alhaji Seidu Adams Baba) signing as a witness to give it legitimacy. The will was then submitted to the High Court’s Registry, along with a probate application.
Court Proceedings Continue
On November 8, 2021, three of the accused applied for probate at the High Court, Accra, based on the forged document. However, upon discovering inconsistencies, the complainant petitioned the police, leading to their arrest.
With the Attorney-General now overseeing the prosecution, the court awaits the necessary filings before the next hearing on March 11, 2025.
