Bulldog
Lawyer representing Nana Asiama Hanson, aka Bulldog, in his legal battles at an Accra Central District Court has laid bare his frustrations at what he describes as the “swinging of the matter from right to left” by the prosecution.
According to him, the prosecution since the case was brought before the court has tried countless times to twist the matter without any success and pleaded with the court to dismiss the matter since the prosecution could not present anything to tie his client to the charges.
Bulldog has been put before the court for allegedly murdering Fennec Okyere, a music producer in May 2014.
He was picked up in 2014 at Kokomlemle, a suburb of Accra, as a prime suspect in Okyere’s death.
Three years after his arrest and subsequent arraigning before the court, state prosecutors have not presented any evidence to the court to implicate Bulldog in the charges proffered against him.
He has spent a significant portion of the last three years moving to and from the court and has on many occasions complained that the situation is denying him the opportunity to travel.
Last September, Chief Inspector Simon Apiorsornu, the prosecutor, told the court that the Attorney General had advised that Bulldog be discharged to enable further investigations into the matter.
He said the advice has subsequently been directed to the Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service.
He, could, however not disclose the content of the AG’s advice since it was “codified”.
The letter of discharge has since not been presented to the court, leaving Bulldog’s fate in limbo.
Appearing before the court yesterday, Detective Sergeant Rose Animah, who was holding the brief for Chief Inspector Apiorsornu, stated that the prosecution was still waiting for a letter from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service headquarters for a final decision on the matter.
She, therefore, prayed the court for a short adjournment to allow them get the said letter.
But Jerry Avenorgbor, lawyer for Bulldog, told the court that it was clear that the said letter of discharge had reached the Ghana Police Service for onward forwarding to the court to act upon it.
He said he was at the headquarters of the Ghana Police Service, where the Director of Homicide Unit told him that he had written a letter to the court for Bulldog to be discharged.
He, therefore, expressed frustrations as to why the letter has not yet reached the court.
Jerry Avenorgbor prayed the court to throw out the case for want of prosecution since it is within the powers of the judge.
He said the matter has restricted Bulldog’s constitutional right of free movement and asked for an adjournment of at least three months because his client will be travelling outside the court’s jurisdiction for over three months for an employment opportunity.
The court, presided over by Mr Worlanyo Kotoku, stated that he has to wait for the said letter of discharge, adding it will be inappropriate to take any action without it.
He said in order not to ruin Bulldog’s Christmas and New Year celebrations, he will take a date that will favour him and subsequently adjourned the matter to January 10, 2018.
He, further, asked Bulldog to exercise a little more patience and tread carefully.
This may not have gone down well with Bulldog and his lawyer, who were seen angrily leaving the court room.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak