A High Court in Accra will on May 5 begin hearing the case in which two persons are standing trial over the murder of the member of parliament for Abuakwa North in the Eastern Region.
Daniel Aiedu, a19-year-old phone dealer faces murder and robbery while his accomplice, Vincent Bosso, also a phone repairer, is charged with abetment of robbery in the February 9 incident which reignited calls for members of parliament to be provided adequate security.
Hearing was expected to have started Friday morning on their first appearance before the Court presided over by Justice L. L. Mensah but the absence of lawyers for the two accused persons caused the court to adjourn the case to May 5.
The plea of the accused have been reserved for the next court date, our correspondent Selorm Amenya reported Friday morning.
They are Daniel Aiedu, 19 a phone dealer and Vincent Bosso a phone repairer. This comes at a time when family of the deceased are calling for fresh investigation into the matter.
“The absence of the lawyers for the accused and a request by prosecuting attorney for adjournment led to the fixing of May 5 as date for next hearing. Justice L. L. Mensah ordered the two to ensure their lawyer is in court at the next date,” Selorm Amenya reported.
On February 9, 2017, the family of the late MP, appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to deal with perpetrators of the murder.
They explained that failure by the new government to bring the perpetrators to book would affect the electoral fortunes of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the area in the next elections.
Kwasi Frempong, an uncle of the late MP, asked for the court proceedings to be fast-tracked and deal with perpetrators of the crime.
“It is over a year now when our son died. The case is still in court and moving at a slow pace. We feel disheartened by the dead and delay for justice.”
He added: “If the NPP which our son belongs to fail to seek justice for us, their electoral fortunes may be affected.”
According to Mr. Baah, the Prosecutor, on February 8, 2016, at about 2340 hours the deceased came home in his private vehicle driven by his driver, Samuel BerkoSarkodie.
Prosecution said the driver after parking handed over the ignition keys to the deceased and left for his residence at Kasoa, while the deceased retired to his bedroom. He said at about 0100 hrs, Asiedu and Bosso who were armed went to the house of the deceased where Asiedu entered the bedroom of the deceased through the window, while the deceased was asleep.
“Asiedu began to search the room and the noise woke up the deceased who held him. Asiedu resisted and stabbed the deceased on the right chest above the breast”.
The Prosecution said the deceased held the knife while Asiedu pulled the knife through the deceased hands creating a deep cut in his palm.
Prosecution said the deceased who was bleeding profusely fell by his bed helpless while Asiedu stabbed him several times on the right chest and neck. Realizing that the deceased was almost dead, Asiedu left him and took away his three iPhones.
The Prosecutor said the security man who heard a strange sound in the house alerted other security men within the vicinity. Mr. Baah said Bosso realising the danger took to his heels leaving Asiedu behind.
Asiedu, however, managed to descend from deceased room to the back house, climbed one of the poly tanks in the house and jumped over the electric fence into the adjoining house and escaped. He said the security man then called the police emergency line and informed them of the situation.
When the Police arrived the victim was already dead and his body was conveyed to the Police Hospital mortuary. On February 15, an autopsy report from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital gave the cause of death as “Exsanguination” and multiple stab injuries on the anterior and chest.”
Prosecution said Police investigations led to the arrest of accused persons who stated that their aim of going to the house of the deceased was to steal.
The Prosecutor said Asiedu explained that the deceased struggled with him when he entered the room and this compelled him to use the knife on him.
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