Ardeyman murder suspect was not at the scene – Lawyer

Lawyers for one of the men suspected of being behind the murder of Ardeyman chief Nii Tettey Saban, Henry Crentsil have filed a notice of alibi claiming he was not at the scene at the time of the incident.

Moving a bail application in court Wednesday, lawyer Stephen Asante Bekoe said the police has started investigating the notice and is yielding positive results for them.

The lawyer pleaded with the court to grant Henry Crentsil bail pending investigations into their notice.

Henry Crentsil is one of 25 accused persons standing trial for the murder of Nii Tettey Saban at the family stool house at Ardeyman on June 8, 2017.

But his lawyers claim he was not at the scene and pushing for his discharge as a result.

Even though lawyer Asante Bekoe says investigations into his client’s alibi are far advanced, he argues that his continuous detention is unfair.

He further argued that the longer Henry Crentsil stays in police custody, the longer his liberty is lost as his business will also suffer.

Whiles magistrate courts are allowed to hold committal proceedings for murder suspects, they usually refuse bail applications for those suspects on the grounds that they do not have jurisdiction.

Lawyer Asante Bekoe however argued that the district court hearing the matter can grant the bail because it is a human rights issue and should therefore be separated from the murder trial itself.

Delivering a ruling on the application which was supported by lawyers for other suspects in the case, the presiding judge said the court does not have jurisdiction to grant the application.

The High Court recently denied some of the murder suspects bail because it was too early and the offence alleged too grave.

The District Court judge said he could not grant the suspects bail in the circumstances and has adjourned the matter to August 23, 2017.

Meanwhile, the number of suspects has increased to 25 after the police arrested three more.

The three are Kwabena Okyere Baah a.k.a Evans Asafoatse, Patrick Nii Otoo Dodoo a.k.a Soldier and Francis Saviour.