‘I am being tortured and treated unfairly’ – Accused person in J.B killers trial accuses prison officers

One of the two accused persons standing trial for the murder of the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North, Joseph Boakye Danquah-Adu, has accused prison officers of subjecting him to torture. 

The suspect, Daniel Asiedu also known as Sexy Don Don, on Tuesday told the trial judge, Justice Lydia Osei Marfo that “he is being tortured and treated unfairly by the prison officers for no just reason.”

Asiedu said after his transfer from police custody to the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons, officials of the prison “charged him with the possession of a phone and a knife, knowing very well such items are not permitted at the facility.”

According to the suspect, he is being constantly monitored and has been prevented from exercising.

Having listened to the accusations raised by the suspect, the judge asked one of the prison officers who accompanied him if any of the accusations were true.

The officer denied the accusations. He said he is not aware of any such treatment.

He insisted that “the precinct holds over 3,000 inmates and all are treated equally and fairly.”

The officer, however, mentioned that the suspect may have been punished for misbehaving as is the standard procedure of the prison for inmates who go contrary to the rules guiding the place.

Justice Osei Marfo emphasised on the need to treat each and every suspect fairly until they are found culpable of the offence they are being held for.

She also cautioned Daniel Asiedu against insubordination and asked him to behave properly while on remand.

The court also ordered the registry to personally serve hearing notice to the counsel for the accused persons before the next adjourned date.

This was because the lawyer for the accused persons, Augustine Obour, had been absent from proceedings for more than three times.

The provisional facts of the prosecution were that the former MP lived with his family at Shiashie, near East Legon, a suburb of Accra.

The accused person’s Daniel Asiedu and Vincent Bosso lived at Agbogbloshie, also in Accra.

According to the prosecution, between February 8 and 9, 2019, the late legislator was chauffeured home in his private car.

The driver handed over the ignition keys of the car to Mr Danquah-Adu and left for home, after which the MP retired to bed in a room located on the first floor of his house.

On February 9, 2016, at about 1 am, Asiedu and Bosso, armed with a catapult, cutter and sharp knife, went to the legislator’s house.

Bosso is said to have assisted Asiedu to enter the house by scaling the wall on the blind side of a security man who was fast asleep.

On entering the house, Asiedu picked a ladder and climbed onto a porch on the top floor and entered the MP’s bedroom through a window while Mr Danquah-Adu was sleeping.

While Asiedu was searching the room, the MP woke up and held him. A struggle ensued during which Asiedu stabbed the MP in the right chest above the breast.

The MP consequently held the knife and Asiedu pulled it through his hand, leaving a deep cut in his palm.

The legislator bled profusely and fell by his bed, after which Asiedu stabbed him several times in his right chest and neck.

On realising that the MP was dying, Asiedu left the room and took with him three iPhones and absconded with his accomplice.

Asiedu, popularly known as ‘Sexy Don Don’ and Bosso, have since been charged with murder and abetment of crime in the murder of the late MP.

They both pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit robbery. Asiedu, on the other hand,  has pleaded not guilty to murder and robbery.

Three years after the gruesome murder of the former MP, justice is yet-to-be served in the case which happened in 2016.

The case is set to continue on November 27, 2020.