J.B Danquah Adu Murder trial: Judge warns journalists over inaccurate reporting

A High Court Judge hearing the case of alleged killers of J.B. Danquah Adu, former Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North, says she would haul journalists for contempt if inaccurate reporting of the trial continues.

Justice Mrs Lydia Osei Marfo, the trial judge, said she would be compelled to hear the MP’s murder case in camera if inaccurate reporting by some journalists was repeated.

The trial judge gave the warning after Mr Yaw Dankwah defence counsel of accused persons namely: Daniel Asiedu aka Sexy Dondon and Vincent Bossu, aka Junior Agogo, had alerted the court of misreporting of the court proceedings by some media houses.

According to Mr Yaw Dankwah, the misreporting bordered on alleged confession of the accused persons, information which never took place yesterday.

The trial judge noted that the court was opened to the public and she could not prevent anyone from attending the court’s sitting.

“If you want to report, be fair and candid. Don’t go about throwing false information outside. Do not compel me so that this case would be heard in camera.

“Do accurate reporting because I will haul you for contempt over any misreporting. What happens if that misinformation gets out to the public, your guess would be good as mine,” the trial judge said.

Continuing with further cross-examination, Mr Samuel Berko Sarkodie, driver of the late MP denied that he was in the house of the former legislature when his death occurred.

Mr Sarkodie a resident of Kasoa, contended that after his last interaction with the former legislature, he had a call from one Jennifer informing him that his master had been attacked at his residence in Shaishie.

Mr Sarkodie, the first prosecution witness, disagreed that there were inconsistencies in his timelines in relation to his statement to the Police and that of his witness statement before the court.

According to the witness, the timeliness he had was what he gave to the court and nothing less.

Witness maintained that on November 2, last year he gave his witness statement to the state.

When the witness was shown his witness statement, he admitted signing the witness statement.

The first prosecution also maintained that he still stood by all answers he gave to the court and the same constituted a true reflection of what took place following the death of J.B Danquah Adu.

Witness disagreed with defence counsel that the workplace of the former legislature was not known as Airport Residential Area but Dworwulu.

The witness informed the court that he never offered any driving services to the former MP’s wife and children.

According to the witness, late J.B Danquah Adu’s wife and children had a special driver known as Seidu.

He denied that Seidu was the one who called him on the day of the incident.

Witness told the court that he had good relationship with Seidu because they were both employees of the former MP.

He agreed with defence counsel that everybody in the house of J. B. Danquah Adu including himself were branded as “suspects” when the incident occurred.

Witness disagreed with defence counsel on basis that because he was the last person to interact with the deceased, the Police lenses were on him.

Asiedu and Bossu are jointly being held following the death of the former legislature, which occurred in the early hours of February 9, 2016, at Shaishie, near East Legon in Accra.

Asiedu is being held for murder while Bossu is being held over conspiracy to commit robbery.

They have both denied the charges before a seven-member jury.

The court has remanded them into prison custody to reappear on April 28.