Judicial Secretary to get lawyers for alleged MP killers

An Accra District Court has directed its Registrar to inform the Judicial Secretary to solicit for lawyers from the Legal Aid Board for Daniel Asiedu, one of the prime suspects being held over the murder of former legislator J.B. Dankwah Adu.

The directive came after Asiedu aka Sexy Dondon had insisted that government should secure a lawyer from the International Criminal Court (ICC) to defend him as the court commences with committal proceedings against him and his accomplice Vincent Bossu on Tuesday.

When the District Court presided over by Ms Aret Nsemoh asked if he personally knew any lawyer from the ICC, Asiedu responded that he knew one but due to security reasons he would not be able to make the description of the said ICC lawyer public.

“I plead with the court, government, the public and all those gathered here to assist me to get a lawyer from ICC,” Asiedu said.

The District court was set for committal proceedings for the Asiedu and Bossu to stand trial at the High Court over the death of the legislator.

On December 18, last year it ordered the accused persons to get lawyers from Legal Aid if they did not have any to defend them.

However, when sitting resumed today, the two accused persons informed the court that they did not have any legal representation.

The court, therefore, stood the case down for some time and asked a Court clerk to inform the Registrar of the District court to see if he could get any lawyer around to represent them for the committal proceedings.

When court resumed sitting again it was informed that the Registrar was unable to get lawyers for them.

Although the court informed Asiedu that there were equally trained lawyers in Ghana who could defend him, he insisted on getting a lawyer from the ICC.

“I want a lawyer from the ICC,” he insisted.

Bossu, however, told the court that he would be glad if the court gets a lawyer for him.

The court adjourned the matter to February 6, at the instance of the accused persons.

It further told the accused persons that if their respective lawyers do not turn up at the next adjourned date, it would, however, go on with the committal proceedings.

Ms Sefakor Batse, a Senior State Attorney represented the Republic, while Nana Obiri Boahen, Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party General Secretary held a watching brief.

Asiedu and Bossu have been jointly charged with abetment of crime. Asiedu is additionally being held for the murder. Their pleas have not been taken and are currently on remand.

The late Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North was murdered in his residence in February 2016 at Shiashie in Accra. The two accused persons were subsequently arrested following Police investigations into the matter.