J.B. Danquah Adu Murder Case: Court Orders Retrial.

Accra: An Accra High Court has ordered the retrial of Daniel Asiedu, known as Sexy Don Don, a trader accused of stabbing the Abuakwa North Member of Parliament, J.B. Danquah Adu, to death. The decision came after a seven-member jury returned a 4-3 verdict on Asiedu regarding charges of robbery and murder. The jury's split decision led the trial judge, Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, to rule that the verdict was not legally acceptable, resulting in the discharge of the jury and the order for a retrial.According to Ghana News Agency, four members of the jury found Asiedu not guilty on the charge of robbery, while three found him guilty. On the murder charge, the same split occurred, with four jurors finding him not guilty and three finding him guilty. The late Member of Parliament was murdered at his residence in Shiashie, near East Legon, Accra, in February 2016. The court has remanded Asiedu into lawful custody and adjourned the matter to December 20, 2024, for mention.Defense counsel for Asiedu requested bail to allow him to access his counsel and prepare his defense. Both defense counsel, Mr. Yaw Dankwah, and Principal State Attorney, Sefakor Batsa, addressed the court for three hours each during the summing up. The court, presided over by Justice Mrs. Lydia Osei Marfo, explained the matter to the jury before they reached their decision. The state called eight witnesses to build a case against Asiedu, who, at 27 years old, did not call any witnesses in his defense.Family members of the deceased attended the summing up but left after the jury's verdict. Defense counsel argued that the prosecution's evidence was unreliable and full of inconsistencies, questioning the credibility of the autopsy report and the investigation process. The prosecution recounted how Asiedu allegedly demonstrated the crime during a reconstruction scene and highlighted DNA evidence linking Asiedu to the crime scene.The prosecution's case stated that Asiedu and another trader, Vincent Bossu, planned a robbery spree on February 8, 2016. Asiedu allegedly armed himself and scouted the area at Shiashie, eventually entering the late MP's house. The prosecution claimed that Asiedu stole three mobile phones from the MP's residence, which he later handed over to a witness for charging and unlocking. DNA evidence and witness testimony linked Asiedu to the crime, leading to his arrest and charges of murder, robbery, and conspiracy to rob. Bossu was acquitted and discharged of conspiracy charges after a submission of no case.