Crime & Punishment of Sunday, 17 January 2021
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2021-01-17JB Danquah murder: No lawyer wants to represent suspect – Judge
Daniel Asiedu being escorted to court
Judge hearing the murder case of former MP for Abuakwa North, J.B Danquah has expressed concerns over the seeming unwillingness of legal practitioners for the key suspect, Daniel Asiedu.
Sharing her sentiments in court on Friday, January 15, Justice Lydia Osei Marfo disclosed that despite writing to the Legal Aid Department for counsel for the accused, the High Court had not received
Read full article.any response; hence, a lawyer had not been assigned to represent Daniel Asiedu.
She noted that the situation was stalling the progress of the case.
Key suspect in the murder trial of the Abuakwa North Member of Parliament, Daniel Asiedu has been without a lawyer since November 2020.
This was due to the withdrawal of his counsel, Mr Augustine Obour, who had been defending him for close to five years on pro-bono basis.
Mr Obour opted to withdraw his services after a video which went viral showed Asiedu confessing to killing Mr Danquah-Adu.
Explaining the reason for his decision to withdraw his services, Mr Obour noted that there was no need representing the accused since he had openly admitted to the crime for which he was being prosecuted for.
Graphic.com.gh reports that the Justice Marfo wrote to the Legal Aid Department requesting a defence lawyer to be appointed for the accused person together with his accomplice, in December 2020.
No response has, however, been heard following the request.
Speaking to another lawyer from the Legal Aid Department representing an accused person in a separate murder case, Justice Marfo noted that,”I don’t know why nobody wants to touch this case. It is nothing extraordinary just come and do it to the best of your ability.”
She further urged the legal practitioner to consider taking Daniel Asiedu’s case.
It’s been almost 5 years since the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North was murdered in cold blood at his residence at Shiashie in Accra.
So far, two persons, Vincent Bosso and Daniel Asiedu are standing trial with charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and murder respectively.
The case has since been adjourned to February 11, 2021.
