Psychiatric Hospital to examine J.B. Danquah’s murder suspect
An Accra High Court on Monday ordered the Accra Psychiatric Hospital to conduct psychiatric examination on Daniel Asiedu, one of the suspects being held for the murder of J. B. Danquah Adu, former Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North.
The court tasked the hospital to conduct the examination with dispatch without “conditioning the execution, performance and discharge upon payment.”
The court presided over by Mr Justice George Boadi further ordered the hospital to conduct the examination within one month and submit the report by May 27.
This would enable the court to ascertain whether or not Asiedu aka Sexy Dondon is fit to stand trial.
It further directed the Ghana Prisons Service to make Asiedu available for the smooth conduct of the medical examination.
According to the court, its Registrar should also do well to ensure that the orders of the court are carried out by April 16.
The court order came after Defence counsel for both accused persons Mr Augustine Obuor prayed the court to subject the first accused to psychiatric examination due to his behaviour and some statements he had made in relation to his choice of lawyers from the International Criminal Court.
According to Mr Obuor, he had earlier made an application at the District Court but it was overruled.
He said before the High Court could take his plea, it would be better that the soundness of Asiedu’s mind is ascertained, stressing that under the law, a defense of insanity renders a trial a nullity.
Defence counsel said, he was minded to repeat the application before the trial court because his client at a point called him on phone only to inform him that he (Asiedu) was going to be installed as a chief in Akwapim and he wanted him take care of the food to be served during his installation.
This, according to counsel indicated that all was not well when it come to the capacity of Asiedu’s mental status adding in advanced countries, the medical examination would have been conducted without any hesitation.
On the age of Sexy Dondon, defense counsel noted that there had been instances where Asiedu’s age had been pegged at 18 years, 22years and 24 years.
Mrs. Sefakor Batse, Senior State Attorney informed the court that Asiedu has not demonstrated in court that he was mentally incapable of answering to his plea.
Mrs. Batse said as far as the state was concerned, “we are not aware of any mental issues regarding Asiedu and opposed defense’s counsel’s application.
Meanwhile, Chief Officer David Tsuishitoo of the Ghana Prison Service drew the court’s attention to the fact that there was the need for someone to bear the cost of the examination.
Chief Officer Tsuishitoo said there are about five of such cases that the service had to pay for since monies are often demanded by the hospital authorities before an examination could be carried out.
He explained that the Service was compelled to pay for consultation and drugs because the National Health Insurance Scheme did not cover them.
The court therefore ruled that its orders be served on the Ghana Prison Service as well.
Asiedu is standing trial with Vincent Bossu aka Junior Agogo following the killing of the J.B Danquah Adu.
Asiedu and Bossu are being held over the charges of conspiracy to commit crime to wit robbery. Asiedu is facing an additional charge of murder.
The two are accused of their involvement in the death of the Member of Parliament at his residence at East Legon of which the two were arrested following Police investigations.
The two suspects who have been remanded into Prison custody are expected to reappear on June 3 for the adoption of the medical report on Asiedu.
Source: GNA