State files fresh murder charge against Asiedu and accomplice

State files fresh murder charge against Asiedu and accomplice

The two men implicated in the killing of the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa North, J.B. Danquah-Adu, appeared together for the first time before the Accra District Court yesterday.

Daniel Asiedu, popularly known as “Sexy Don Don”, the first person accused of allegedly killing the legislator, was the only one appearing before the court, but last week a mobile phone accessories dealer, Vincent Bosso, aka “Junior Agogo”, was also arraigned for being Asiedu’s accomplice.

Drama

There was drama in the courtroom even before the case was called when Bosso was confronted by the police for allegedly stealing GH¢20 at the police station where he was being kept in custody.

The police accused him of taking the money, which had been left by a policeman on the counter as he was being escorted to the court.

Apparently, the policeman had left the money on the counter as he was ushering Bosso to be transported to the court.

The police, after a search on the accused person, found the money wrapped in a white paper in his pocket.

Bosso, almost in tears, however, claimed that the money belonged to him and not the policeman.

Asiedu’s father

Another interesting aspect of yesterday’s hearing was the attendance of Asiedu’s father at the proceedings.

The police allowed him to confer with his son before the case was called.

Charges

When the case was called, the prosecution withdrew the original charges against the two and subsequently filed fresh charges against them with a merged fact sheet.

Asiedu has been charged with murder, while Bosso has been charged with abetment of crime.

Objection

Counsel for Asiedu, Mr Augustine Obour, who agreed to represent Bosso, also objected to the facts of the case after the prosecution had presented them to the court.

He subsequently prayed the court to strike out the case, describing it as “incompetent”.

According to him, the facts as presented by the prosecution did not connect Bosso to the crime, adding that “it did not include the particulars of his offence.

“What is the basis of joining the second accused person to the case? Per the facts presented, I have not seen any role played by the second accused person.”

He also accused the prosecution of not following due process in presenting the facts of the case.

“There is the signature of the prosecuting officer without his name. When you bring a document to court seeking to remand someone, things must be done properly,’’ counsel said.

Response

The prosecutor, Superintendent of Police Mr Francis Baah, in response, refuted counsel’s assertion and said the facts, indeed, connected Bosso to the crime.

“The facts include the relevant particulars because the primary element of abetment is any act that facilitates a crime to be committed,’’ he explained.

He also said investigations were ongoing and, therefore, any new development would be made available to the court.

Ruling

The court, presided over by Mr Stephen Owusu, agreed with the prosecution and ruled that the facts, indeed, included the right particulars of the case.

“The facts attached to the charge sheet give particulars of the abetment given by the second accused person for the commission of the alleged crime,’’ it held.

The court remanded the two in police custody and adjourned the case to June 2, 2016.

Facts

The new facts, as presented by Mr Baah, were that the MP lived with his family in a one-storey building at Shiashie, near East Legon, a suburb of Accra, while Asiedu and Bosso lived at Agbogloshie, also in Accra.

About 11:40 p.m. on February 8, 2016, he said, the MP arrived home in his private car driven by his driver and retired to bed in a room located on the upper floor of the house, after the driver had handed over the ignition keys to the car to him and left for his house.

According to him, about 1 a.m. that same night, Asiedu and Bosso, armed with a catapult, a cutter and a sharp knife, went to the legislator’s house.

“Bosso assisted Asiedu to enter the house through the fence wall on the blind side of the security man who was fast asleep. Asiedu, after entering the house, picked a ladder and climbed to the porch of the top floor and entered the bedroom of the MP through the window while he was sleeping,’’ he said.

Mr Baah stated that Asiedu began to search the room, but the MP got up and held him, adding, “Asiedu resisted and stabbed the MP on the right chest above the breast. The MP held the knife and Asiedu pulled it through his hands, creating a deep cut in his palm.’’

“The legislator, who was bleeding profusely, fell by his bed helplessly and Asiedu stabbed him several times on his right chest and neck,’’ he added.

The prosecutor further said Asiedu, upon realising that the MP was almost dead, left the room and took away three iPhone smart phones.

He added that the struggle that ensued between the MP and Asiedu drew the attention of the security man in the house, who alerted other security men in the neighbourhood.

 

“Bosso, realising danger, took to his heels, leaving Asiedu behind. Asiedu, however, managed to descend from the upper floor of the house and jumped over the electric fence into the adjoining house and escaped,” he said.

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