Psychiatric Hospital requests more information on MP’s ‘killer

The Accra Psychiatric Hospital has requested more information on Daniel Asiedu, the suspected killer of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa-North, Mr J.B. Danquah-Adu, to enable it to conduct a psychiatric examination.

In a letter dated May 23, 2019, and addressed to the Accra High Court, officials of the hospital said they would need further information from the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police and from Asiedu’s mother and sister in order to get the psychiatric assessment complete.

On April 15, 2019, the court, presided over by Justice George Buadi, ordered a psychiatric examination on Asiedu to ascertain his mental fitness to stand trial.

The order followed an application by Asiedu’s lawyer, Mr Augustine Obour, who had argued that based on interactions with his client, he believed he was not mentally sound.

New date for report

Per the court’s order, a psychiatric report was supposed to be presented to the court last Monday, but due to the request by the hospital, Justice Buadi ordered the case investigator to go to the hospital with the bill of indictment of the case and with the relatives of Asiedu by June 7, 2019.

Justice Buadi further ordered the hospital to ensure that the psychiatric report on Asiedu was ready by June 21, 2019.

“The medical officer who conducts the exams should also appear before the court on June 27, to tender the report and also explain its conclusions,” Justice Buadi said.
Hearing continues on June 27, 2019.

Alleged murder

Mr Danquah-Adu was murdered in his residence at Shiashie near Accra on February 9, 2016.

Prosecutors have charged Asiedu and another suspect, Vincent Bosso, with conspiracy to commit robbery while Asiedu has been charged separately with murder and robbery.

Prosecution facts

The facts of the case, according to the prosecution, were that Mr Danquah-Adu lived with his family in a one-storey house at Shiashie, near East Legon, a suburb of Accra, while Asiedu and Bosso lived at Agbogbloshie, also in Accra.

Asiedu and Bosso planned to go on a robbery spree and armed themselves with a screwdriver, scissors, catapult and knife.

The two left their base on February 8, 2016, to engage in robbery but due to a misunderstanding over which house to rob, Bosso parted ways with Asiedu and returned home.

The prosecution averred that Asiedu then boarded a car to Shiashie, scouted the area and picked out Mr Danquah-Adu’s house.

The MP returned home from work about 11 pm and retired to bed.

“Asiedu entered the house about 1am on February 9, 2015 by scaling the wall. He then used a ladder lying on the compound to climb to a porch in front of the MP’s bedroom and entered the bedroom through a window,’’ according to the prosecution.

The facts presented indicated that Asiedu then searched the room but the MP was awoken by noise and struggled with Asiedu.

“Asiedu stabbed the MP in the neck and chest following which he collapsed and gave way for Asiedu to bolt with three mobile phones belonging to the MP," facts by the prosecution explained.

The prosecution said Asiedu gave two of the phones to a repairer to charge and unlock for him.

The repairer made a report to the police after he found blood stains and pictures of Mr Danquah-Adu on the phone.