Vincent Bosso (left) and Daniel Asiedu
An Accra High Court has ordered the registrar of the criminal division of the court to write to the Legal Aid Board to appoint a lawyer for Daniel Asiedu, the self-‘confessed’ killer of MP for Abuakwa North, JB Danquah-Adu.
The letter, according to the court presided over by Justice George Buadi, was to be dispatched to the Legal Aid by the end of yesterday.
The order follows what could be described as a struggle by Daniel Asiedu to secure the services of a lawyer.
He has consistently told the court that he does not trust any Ghanaian lawyer, and had on occasions asked the court to get him an international lawyer preferably from the ICC.
Appearing before the court today, Asiedu repeated his appeal, saying he does not trust his previous lawyer who represented him at the committal proceedings.
According to him, his counsel had ‘confided’ in him that he could not continue the case due to unexplained circumstances.
Asked by the court why he did not trust any Ghanaian lawyer, he said the case had generated so much attention and he had been treated as a convict although he had not been found guilty by any court.
He subsequently pleaded with the court to get him an international lawyer or at least a Ghanaian lawyer with ‘international experience’.
The presiding judge told him that no lawyer other than those recognized by the Ghana Bar can represent him.
Justice Buadi therefore encouraged the accused person that there are competent and trustworthy lawyers in Ghana who can represent him.
The court subsequently ordered the registrar to write to the Legal Aid to get the accused person a lawyer.
Meanwhile, Vincent Bosso, who is charged along Daniel Asiedu, has accepted private legal practitioner – Muniru Kasim – as his lawyer.
The judge also ordered the state attorneys lead by Sefakor Batse, a senior state attorney to endeavour to contact Mr. Kasim on how to liaise with the court to ensure a smooth trial.
By Gibril Abdul Razak