By Beatrice Oppon and Priscilla Owusu Ansah
The High Court in Accra has ordered the retrial of Daniel Asiedu, accused of the murder of former MP for Abuakwa North Joseph Boakye Danquah Adu, after the jury failed to attain a unanimous verdict.
The seven-member jury returned a 4:3 majority verdict of not guilty for both murder and robbery charges against Asiedu.
The Court said the jury did not have a legally accepted verdict for the Court to act on and accordingly discharged the jury.
Asideu has since been remanded into custody awaiting his retrial at another Court.
The lead Defence Lawyer Yaw Dankwah pleaded for bail for the accused to enable him to prepare his defence, but the Court directed him to apply formally.
Today’s hearing began at 9:50 a.m. through to 5:45 p.m. The jury was retired twice to come up with a verdict.
The trial of Asiedu started more than eight years ago after the former MP was killed on February 9, 2016, at his residence at Shiashie in Accra. The prosecution called ten witnesses, including a pathologist and Forensic expert, to prove its case against Asiedu. The prosecution submitted that exhibits retrieved at the crime scene revealed 100 percent of the accused person’s DNA.
The prosecution argued that forensic examinations confirmed the presence of the convict in the deceased’s home on the night of the murder. The prosecution mentioned a bloodstained T-shirt of Asiedu which proved to be the deceased’s blood. Also, three mobile phones which belonged to the late former MP were found on the convict.
The prosecution said the convict was unremorseful and failed in his defence of claiming innocence of the crime.
The Defence Lawyer Mr Dankwah discredited the evidence of the prosecution describing it as fanciful. He told the jury not to be swayed by the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses because they were doubtful. He particularly mentioned the video of the reconstruction of the crime scene which he said was reliable. He further questioned why the members of the household of the deceased MP were not called to testify and the people, including three supposed Police Officers who saw the corpse before it was taken to the mortuary, were also left out in the testimonies given. Mr Dankwah also criticised the testimonies of the Pathologist and Forensic Expert.
Some family members of the late former MP were in court to observe the proceedings.
Asiedu will reappear before Court on December 20, 2024.
