Vincent Bosso and Daniel Asiedu
State prosecutors have asked for more time for further investigations into the case involving the suspected killers of Joseph Boakye Danquah-Adu, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa North in the Eastern Region.
In the view of the state, the nature of the case is such that the victim did not survive to tell his side of the story.
According to DSP George Amegah, the prosecution was relying on circumstantial evidence which is inconclusive.
He stated that the prosecution has to get conclusive evidence in the matter.
The senior police officer indicated that the prosecution would come for the committal proceeding in a very short time.
The judge, Arit Nsemoh, wondered on what basis the accused persons were charged if the arguments of the police officer were anything to go by.
She noted that the prosecution ought to be prepared before preferring charges against the accused persons.
The trial magistrate adjourned hearing of the case until August 17, warning that the prosecution must not come to ask for another adjournment but come and tell the court something bright.
At the last hearing, Detective Inspector Simon Apiorsornu said further investigations into the matter were still ongoing, urging the court to remand the accused persons – Daniel Asiedu, 19 aka Sexy Don Don, a phone dealer and Vincent Bosso aka Junior Agogo, a phone repairer – into police custody.
It may be recalled that the prosecution on July 29 told the court that the police had stumbled upon fresh leads in the case.
Although the prosecution did not disclose the nature of the leads to the court, the prosecutor emphasized that the police were working on them.
He had told the court that investigation into the case was also ongoing after which a duplicate docket would be sent to the Attorney General for advice.
The accused persons were hauled before the court two days after an Accra high court had discharged them over the murder of the legislator.
The Attorney General and Minister for Justice had earlier entered Nolle Prosequi (NP) to drop previous charges against the accused persons in respect of the case, which was at the stage of empanelling a seven-member jury for the trial.
Sefakor Batse, a senior state attorney, had told the court, presided over by Justice Lawrence L. Mensah, that per Section 54 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, the AG had entered NP in respect of the case.
Daniel Asiedu and Bosso were subsequently rearrested minutes after their discharge and fresh charges preferred against them.
In the instant case, Sexy Don Don has been slapped with the charge of murder while Agogo faces abetment of murder.
In the case of Agogo, the prosecutor, DSP George Amegah, held that he at about 1:00 am on February 9, 2016 at Shiashie, East Legon, in Accra, abetted Sexy Don Don to commit murder.
Don Don, according to the prosecution, on the same day and time intentionally and unlawfully caused the death of Mr JB Danquah, fondly called JB.
The pleas of the two have not been taken.
By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson
jeffdegraft44@yahoo.com