Jane Ajabu, Nzinga Harrison, and Orvan Mabie Jr. sat down with the Indianapolis Liberator to discuss Kofi Modibo Ajabu’s story, the impact it has had on their lives, and their fight for his clemency. You can watch the entire interview and read a synopsis of it below.
Exclusive interview with jury foreman advocating for clemency
Lost potential
In the spring of 1994, Kofi Modibo Ajabu, affectionately called Dibo by those closest to him, was a 19-year-old aspiring veterinarian taking a semester off from school. Jane, Kofi’s mother, fondly recalled his sharp intellect and love for reading. “Smart as a whip,” she said, sharing how road trips often meant stopping at bookstores to satisfy his voracious appetite for books. Reflecting on his childhood, she described him as caring and sensitive, with a natural affinity for animals. “Animals kind of drew to him, so we had all kinds of critters in the house,” she explained. With tears in her eyes, she added, “He has a heart for people; he has a heart for animals… causing harm to others was simply not in his spirit.”
Kofi was eagerly anticipating his younger sister Nzinga’s high school graduation later that year when his life took a tragic turn. On March 17, 1994, what seemed like an ordinary night out irrevocably changed his future.The evening took a sinister turn when his so-called “friend,” Raymond Adams, brandished a gun and delivered a chilling ultimatum: Kofi needed to rob everyone at the party or face death. Faced with the threat of losing his life, Kofi reluctantly complied, assisting in the robbery. Yet, true to the meaning of his name, Modibo—”one who is a helper”—despite the threat to his own life, tried to lead the children in the home to safety. Tragically, his efforts were in vain. By the end of the night, three lives were lost: 17-year-old Nick Allemenos, 13-year-old Lisa Allemenos, and 23-year-old Chris James, all victims of Adams’ brutality. Crimes he actively tried to prevent, but that he would spend the next 30 years in prison for.
The American nightmare
In spite of Kofi’s sweet soul and demeanor he was sentenced to life in prison. Not because he murdered anyone, but because he was coerced into witnessing them. According to Indiana law 35-50-2-9, if a co-defendant commits murder then you are just as guilty as that person.
Before his trial, Kofi was offered a plea deal: admit to all 10 charges, including murder, and receive a reduced sentence. While Kofi was willing to take responsibility for the crimes he had committed, such as robbery, he refused to lie about killing children he did not harm. Had he accepted the plea deal, Kofi would have been released over a decade ago after serving 20 years. Instead, he was sentenced to life without parole. On appeal, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled that life without parole was inappropriate because there was no evidence that Kofi had killed anyone. The sentencing court amended his punishment to 240 years—essentially the same as a life sentence.
Nzinga Harrison, Kofi’s younger sister and now a renowned psychiatrist, reflected on how her brother’s incarceration disrupted their family’s lives in unimaginable ways. “Most kids are coming home from college to enjoy Spring Break. I’m coming home from college to be a character witness at my brother’s sentencing. I’m coming home from college to visit my brother in prison. I’m using my scholarship money to pay for collect calls.”
Orvan Mabie: From juror to advocate
In 1994, Orvan Mabie was a postal worker and awaiting his daughter’s wedding when he was chosen to be the foreman in Kofi Modibo Ajabu’s trial. 30 years later, reflecting on the case, “I didn’t feel he had committed any crime, but under the law he was just as guilty as any of his co-defenders. That bothered me then and continued to bother me throughout the years. I didn’t think it was fair to him, but that was the law.” This sentiment highlights a contradiction many working-class individuals face: we are told to trust these laws for our protection, but our own experience shows us they are in fact devastatingly unjust. Thirty years and a heart attack later, Orvan has a new outlook on life, stating that he believes “maybe the law needs to change”. Jane echoed this: “When I think about Indiana law…we create them, we establish them and say they’re about justice and delivering fair punishment. They should be reasonable.”
In May 2024, a letter arrived for Kofi that had been delayed for months. It was from Orvan Mabie. Nzinga described reading Orvan’s letter as an “infusion of hope,” especially as the family had begun to lose faith after repeated legal setbacks. In the letter, Orvan expressed deep remorse for convicting Kofi, admitting he always felt Kofi was unfairly punished. Orvan has since written to Governor Eric Holcomb to advocate for Kofi’s clemency, adding an addendum requesting his stance remain preserved regardless of his physical or mental condition. As of this writing, Holcomb has yet to meet with Orvan or the Ajabu family. Orvan went on to state that “[Kofi’s] only mistake was having the wrong companions,” Orvan’s words highlight the injustice of Kofi’s sentence and the system that condemned him.
“We knew we had to take our moonshot, now!”
Once Nzinga was financially able, she dedicated her life to seeking Kofi’s freedom. “It is 6:00 am to midnight and awake at 3:00 am thinking about [clemency]… and I am grateful to be able to do it,” she said. Their mother, Jane, has never wavered in her support. “Since the third week of March 1994, I’ve created a space where I can always speak to my child when he needs it”. Before moving to Georgia, Jane visited Kofi every other week and took out a second mortgage on her home to support clemency efforts, send Kofi an allowance, and put money on his books. Kofi’s resilience has remained remarkable throughout his incarceration. He joked about writing a book called Orange Cabbage to describe the terrible food at the Pendleton Correctional Facility. Beyond humor, he’s become a source of strength for his family. Nzinga recalled a day when she was feeling down, and Kofi reassured her, “I’m here for you. I don’t have anywhere else to be.” Nzinga and Jane also noted his mastery of meditation and energy work in prison and how he’s become conversationally fluent in five different languages to help young inmates who don’t speak English.
Nothing is swifter than rumor
Mmoja Ajabu, Kofi’s father and an elder in the Indianapolis community, was vilified in the media during Kofi’s trial by being portrayed as a dangerous militant; the media unfairly portrayed Kofi in his father’s shadow. Playing to a dangerous trope about “dangerous” Black men that has gotten man slain or, in Kofi’s case, incarcerated unjustly. However, Orvan—sequestered from media coverage during the trial—was able to see a stark difference between Kofi and Raymond Adams, the man responsible for the murders.
Today, Kofi remains the gentle, intelligent person his family knows and loves. He takes full responsibility for his actions but continues to emphasize that he had no knowledge of Raymond’s violent intentions that night. “People think my brother knew about the plan to rob that house, but the first time he went there was to smoke weed and sell it,” Nzinga clarified. “My brother is the quietest, nerdiest…he is not Raymond Adams.”
In fact, Kofi’s family has considered reaching out to the victim’s families over the years but feared reopening old wounds. “He feels deeply for what he did but doesn’t have the words to reach out to them,” Nzinga said.
The journey of healing
Jane reflected on Kofi’s mental state during the tragedy. After the first murder, Kofi ran out of the house and vomited, later looking in a mirror and saying, “Mom, I had to see if I was really there.” Jane went on to describe her reaction to seeing Kofi’s mugshot “When I saw his mugshot after they said he murdered those children, I could tell by the look in his eyes, he was not there at all. It’s amazing he has his sanity.”
The family often leans on each other and their faith community for support. Jane described how her Indianapolis church community had been instrumental in keeping her grounded.
In addition to their new-found hope after years of persevering through this tragedy they have also learned many lessons. Nzinga advised young people, “Older people really can tell when the people you’re hanging out with are dangerous. We’re not trying to be mean to your friends. We’re just trying to prevent you from being in prison for 30 years. But if you find yourself in this situation, there’s always a way out”
What we can do to help
Governor Eric Holcomb leaves office on January 12, this Sunday, and the Ajabu family urges supporters to act now. Jane expressed her hopes: “Clemency would allow the governor to look at [Modibo’s case]. There is evidence that he has been over-sentenced, and he has already served the 20 years the jury thought would be sufficient for what he did commit.”
The family is asking the public to call Governor Holcomb at 317-232-4567 and request a meeting with Orvan Mabie to grant Kofi clemency. They also encourage everyone to sign their change.org petition.
Featured image: Kofi Modibo Ajabu at his high school graduation. Credit: Nzinga Harrison