Court to decide on Obengfo’s bail on June 27

The Accra High Court will on June 27, 2018 rule on whether or not to grant bail to Dr Dominic Obeng-Andoh, aka Obengfo, who is standing trial for allegedly murdering the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Entrepreneurship Innovation Plan (NEIP), Stacy Offei Darko.

The court, presided over by Mr Justice Kofi Dogu, set the date on Thursday following a bail application filed by lawyers for the embattled plastic surgeon.

Background

Dr Obeng-Andoh, the Chief Executive Officer of the Advanced Body Sculpt Centre, also known as Obengfo Hospital, at Weija in Accra, and a cleaner at the centre, Edward Amponsah, have been remanded in police custody by the Accra Central District Court.

The two were dragged to court in connection with the death of Ms Darko, who passed away at the facility on May 21, 2018.

Dr Obeng-Andoh is being tried for murder, while Amponsah has been charged with impersonation.

Amponsah allegedly sent the body of Ms Darko, 37, to the St Gregory Hospital morgue at Buduburam and presented himself as the elder brother of the deceased.

Attempts by lawyers for the two accused to secure bail at the District Court failed after the court, presided over by Ms Efua Sackey, held that it had no jurisdiction to grant bail in a murder case.

The lawyers then proceeded to the High Court with the bail application.

Justification

Justifying the need for bail for his clients, lawyer for the accused, Mr Jonathan Dzansi, stated that considering the fact that all the relevant persons who needed to be contacted had been contacted and that all related documents had been handed over to assist the investigation, his clients deserved to be admitted to bail.

Counsel submitted that the two accused were law-abiding citizens and had cooperated with the police throughout their investigation.

He argued that Dr Obeng-Andoh was very sick, “and considering his frail health,” he needed to be granted bail to seek medical attention.

Mr Dzansi further prayed the court that his clients would always avail themselves to stand trial to defend themselves against the charges levelled against them.

A-G’s response

In his response, a State Attorney, Mr Ashong Okine, prayed the court to dismiss the bail application, describing it as “premature.”

According to him, if Dr Obeng-Andoh was granted bail, he could interfere with investigations, tamper with evidence and might influence the outcome of the investigation.

He added that since the results of the autopsy were not yet out, it was not prudent for the application to be granted, praying the judge to exercise his discretionary powers not to grant the application.