An Accra high court yesterday directed the police to take the father and sister of Daniel Asiedu, accused of killing the former Member of Parliament (MP) of Abuakwa North, J.B Danquah-Adu, to the psychiatric hospital, to enable it complete mental assessment of the accused.
The court, presided by Justice George Boadi gave the order on the request of the psychiatric hospital.
It is recalled that counsel for the accused, Augustine Obour, requested the court to order the mental examination of his client whom he claimed is mentally unsound.
A letter signed by Dr Ama Npoma Boadu on May 25, 2019, and filed with the registry of the Criminal Division “Five” of the High Court, said the medical facility needed additional information to complete medical assessment of the accused.
Consequently, the judge ordered the investigator, Detective Chief Inspector Augustus Nkrumah of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters, Accra, to arrange and take family of the accused together with the bill of indictment to assist the hospital carry out a comprehensive evaluation of the accused mental capacity.
Justice Boadi further ordered that the medical officer, who conducted the examination of the accused, should tender and explain the conclusion of his report to the court on June 21, 2017.
Asiedu and Vincent Bosoo, were committed to stand trial for the second time for the alleged murder of Mr Danquah-Adu.
The late Abuakwa North MP, was murdered in his residence at Shiashie, a suburb of Accra, on February 8, 2016.
On May, 2017, the accused were discharged, re-arrested and fresh charges preferred against them.
The committal trial started at the district magistrate court and on February 6, 2019, the two were committed to stand trial before the high court.
Asiedu, also known as “Sexy Dondon” and Bosso were both charged with conspiracy to commit robbery while Asiedu was separately charged with murder.
They both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Conducting the committal, Ms Sefakor Batse, a senior atate attorney said the state would call 11 witnesses and rely on 29 exhibits to prove its case.
She said the accused planned to go on a robbery spree, but due to misunderstanding Bosoo did not partake in the robbery act.
According to her, Asiedu went to the MP’s house on February 9, 2016, around 1a.m. and robbed him of his three mobile phones.
She said Asiedu stabbed Mr Danquah-Adu in the process leading to his death.
Ms Batse said that Asiedu gave two of the phones to a repairer to unlock, but the reporter saw blood stains on the phone and reported to the police and he was arrested.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
