Business executive remanded over spouse's death

Prince Charles Dedjoe, a Business Executive has been remanded by a Madina District Court for allegedly murdering his spouse, Lilian Dedjoe.

Dedjoe, allegedly assaulted his 43-year-old spouse with his slippers following a misunderstanding.

Court, presided over by Maame Efua Tordimah, charged Dedjoe provisionally with murder and did not take his plea.

The court also declined a bail application put in by Dedjo’s lead counsel, Captain Retired Nkrabeah Effah Dartey.

The District Court held that the lower court was not the right forum to apply for or entertain bail and asked the defence counsel to do so at the High Court.

It further directed the Police to assist Dedjo to undergo some medical tests.

Dedjoe is expected to reappear on March 22.

Sergeant Eva Gidiglo, who held brief, opposed to the grant of bail, saying the matter was still under investigations.

According to Sergeant Gidiglo, the right forum for bail was at the High Court and not the District Court.

Applying for bail for the accused person, Captain (Rtd) Nkrabeah Effah Dartey, said Dedjo was not flight risk and should be admitted to self recognisance bail.

The Defence Counsel denied the facts of the prosecution saying he was shocked at the facts presented.

He said it was true that a misunderstanding ensued between Dedjo and the deceased, but there was no battery and no injury as alleged.

Capt.(Rtd) Effah Dartey said Dedjo was devastated to see the death of his wife, adding that Dedjo needed to be in the house to take care of the kids as well as ensure that the trauma the family was going through eased.

"Accused has a fixed place of abode and accused standing before you is going through the process to be installed as the Awomefia that is the political and spiritual leader of the Anlo State in the Volta Region.

“If admitted to bail of self recognisance, you have no doubt that anytime you want him, he will be here. He has no place to hide in Ghana. Officialdom in Ghana know him," the defence counsel said.

He argued that the charge against Dedjo was bailable under the law and that there was no way the Attorney General would prosecute Dedjo for Murder.

Capt. (Rtd) Effah Dartey said Dedjoe had a medical condition and that he would need constant touch with the hospital adding, "He is a well known patient at Lister Hospital".

The prosecution's case is that the complainant is the deceased’s father who is a retired administrator, residing at Sogakope in the Volta Region.

The prosecution said the 43-year-trader, now deceased, was married to the Dedjo and they both lived at East Legon, Accra.

It said, for sometime now, Dedjo and the deceased’s relationship had been marred with some misunderstanding leading to conflicts between them.

The prosecution said on March 1, this year, a misunderstanding ensued between Dedjo and Lilian and as a result, Dedjoe assaulted Lilian who sustained injuries and she went to the Madina Polyclinic for treatment.

It said when Lilian returned home, her condition deteriorated and on March 6, 2021, Lilian went into coma and was rushed to the Lister Hospital for treatment but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The prosecution said a report was made to the Police and Dedjo, arrested.

It said, during investigations, Dedjoe admitted assaulting the deceased with slippers.

The prosecution said a post mortem examination is yet to be carried out on the deceased.