J.B. Danquah-Adu's alleged killer is mentally unstable - Defense counsel tells court

Counsel for Daniel Asiedu, the man accused of murdering the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North, Mr J. B Danquah Adu, has asked for psychiatric examination for his client.

At Tuesday’s sitting, the defense counsel, Mr Augustine Obour, told the court that based on a conversation he had with the accused a few minutes before proceedings started, he realised that the accused was not mentally stable.

He also said the accused was being kept in solitary confinement at the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and only allowed to visit the washroom and not exercise or walk for a while as some other inmates do.

This, he said, had affected the accused’s well-being and therefore prayed the court to order the investigators to respect his rights and accord him the same treatment as other inmates because his plea had not even been taken yet.

Graphic Online’s reporter, Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson who was in court, said the court ordered the prosecution to investigate the matter and if it turned out to be true, it should accord the accused all the necessary treatment as stipulated by law.

With regards to the application for psychiatric examination, the court dismissed it sand said more investigations needed to be conducted before such an application could be granted.

Asiedu has been charged with murder.

The Accra Magistrate Court remanded him for the second time into police custody.This is to enable the investigators conduct further investigations into the matter.

He is to re-appear before the court presided over by Mr Stephen Owusu on March 14, 2016, 

Facts

The particulars of the case are that on February 9, 2016 at about 1 a.m. at Shiashie, East Legon in Accra, Asiedu did intentionally and unlawfully cause the death of Mr Joseph Boakye Danquah-Adu MP for Abuakwa North in the Eastern Region.

The police presented brief facts of the case in court in which the accused was said to have entered the MP's house to steal and not to kill.

Upon committal by the Magistrate Court on the murder charge, he would face trial at the High Court.

Who is Daniel Asiedu?

The accused has been described by the police as a 19-year-old student who dropped out of school.

He was living with his girlfriend at Agbogloshie also known as Old Fadama in Accra at the time of his arrest on Thursday February 11, 2016.  .

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Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh