Defense lawyer in the case in which Daniel Asiedu is standing trial for the murder of the late Abuakwa North Member of Parliament (MP) Joseph Boakye Dankwa Adu, has said: “the real person who committed the act (murder) is out there enjoying.”
To this end, Lawyer Yaw Dankwah said, justice must be served to ensure that innocent persons are not punished for other people’s mistakes.
Addressing the court ahead of the commencement of the trial he said, “We will tell you the real person who committed the act and that person is out there enjoying.”
He said, Asiedu, being underprivileged is not a license for the state to have him submitted for murder.
According to him, the prosecution can not prove anything further to the jury apart from what they say is a confession from the accused person.
Kumawood movie
Asiedu, he said has been subjected to torture although the laws of the country do not allow the same and if there is a proper police investigation, that will not be the case.
The prosecution, according to the lawyer is now resorting to a “Kumawood” movie as evidence in Court and if it does not fit, it is not a crime for the jury to convict the accused persons.
Tragic investigation
It was the case of counsel that, everything the prosecution has said came from the police, and “we will prove to you that the police did not do any investigations. It is a tragic death and tragic investigations.
Lawyer Dankwah said the police did not do proper investigation to arrest the real culprit, but they decided to pin the act on innocent citizens to protect their own jobs.
“We will also prove to you that, in their own investigations, they engage the services of Land Guards to find the so-called suspects. Your job is not to be convinced by who is influential, do not mix culture and tradition with law,” he said in court.
State to call 10 witnesses
The State has said it will rely on 10 witnesses in the case in which Daniel Asiedu, alias Sexy Don Don is standing trial for the murder of Joseph Boakye Danquah.
Safakor Batse Principal State Attorney for the state noted that the state has compelling evidence to support their charges.
She told the court that, the prosecution has filed all necessary documents it intends to rely on during the trial.
The Principal State Attorney disclosed that the prosecution will also be calling a pathologist expert among the witnesses to lead oral evidence for the sake of the jury since it is a jury trial.
She also told the court that, for now, the prosecution will be relying on all disclosures filed, however, should the need arise in the cause of a trial, prosecutions will seek the leave of court to file further documents.
She said, Asiedu and Vincent Bossu, Alias Agogo are standing trial for conspiracy to rob. While the first accused is charged with substantive robbery and murder.
By Court
The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Lydia Osei-Marfo reiterated the duty and the role of the jurors in helping the court arrive at the determination of the matter.
The court emphasized that, they have been summoned to perform a constitutional duty that is grounded under Article 125(2) of the 1992 Constitution
“Your duty is to listen carefully to the evidence in this court and decide carefully on the fact as produced by the prosecution and the defence.”
The court said, the case has attracted a lot of public outcry and the comments of the Court of public opinion shall continue till the trial ends, so they should be mindful.
“Anything that will happen outside the confines of the trial should not inform your opinion. No biases, pre-opinions, compose yourself both in private and in public.
Justice Osei-Marfo ended the court sitting with the scripture, Proverbs 17:15, and urge the jury to return a verdict that is reflective of the truth of the case.
The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court has subsequently fixed April 26 to commence the murder trial of Daniel Asiedu.
