Suspected JB Danquah killer opens defence

Daniel Asiedu, alias ‘Sexy don-don’, who is standing trial for allegedly murdering Joseph Boakye Dankquah Adu, former Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa North, has opened his defence. He has told the court about events leading to his arrest and subsequent prosecution.

According to him, on the eve of his arrest, he was yearning for sex and so he engaged the services of an ‘okada’ rider who took him to the Agbogloshie market in the Greater Accra region.

Whilst there, he met a commercial sex worker called Janette, at a spot called Konkonsa Drinking Bar.
According to him, the lady took him to a room where he had two rounds of sex with her. After the sex, he slept, but when he woke up, he was eager to take in more alcoholic drinks and, therefore, decided to go back to the ‘Konkonsa Bar’, where he bought a drink and cigarettes.

He smoked the cigarette whilst having conversation with those present.
Daniel Asiedu further told the court that after he had finished with his drink, he went back to check on his lady, but to his surprise, a group led by one Mawuko, had broken into Janette’s room, searching for the man she was enjoying the night with.
The development, according to the accused, infuriated him and he decided to report the matter to the police.

An ‘Okada’ he hired to take him to the police station advised him not to report the case to the police because he (Okada rider) knew the said Mawuko’s boss, called Adotey, who is an informant in the case.
The rider took the accused to Adotey, who oversees the sex workers and that was their first meeting.

After hearing what Sexy don-don had to say, Adotey led him to the Regional Police Command, where the reality dawned on him.
According to the accused person, Adotey set him up and handed him to the police, without any cause, and that he was manhandled at the police station.

Cross-examination of Daniel Asiedu

Q. Daniel, yesterday you were telling us that when you returned the second time to the ‘Konkonsa bar’, one Mawuko and his entourage had broken into the room. You said I was going to the regional police to report. Tell this court from there what happened?

A: I made up my mind to report the matter at the Regional Police office, but an Okada rider advised me against it, because he said he knows Mawuko’s superior, so he could talk to him to warn him about the incident. When we got there we met Adotey. That was the first time I met him and got to know he’s an informant.

He gave me a seat and I explained what had happened. He asked me to be patient and that he will lead me to make the complaint at the Regional Police Station. It was my first time visiting the Regional Police Station. We went there on two Okada bikes and I paid the fare. Adotey asked me to wait, before we were taken to the charge office.

Q: Tell the court what time it was?
A: When we got to Adotey’s place it was about 4.30am and we got to the Police Station at about 5:00 am.

Q. In your testimony yesterday you used the name ‘one Allotey’ and today ‘one Adotey’. Who are these?

A. The name I mentioned Allotey, I mentioned Adotey.
Q. When the two of you saw the police officers what happened?

A: I met three officers, two males and a female. They mentioned their names to me. The one with two stars was ASP Kofi Sarpong, the other with a star and crown was Officer Dampare and the female Police with two stars said she was ASP Afia Tengey.
When I turned round, I realised that Adotey had left the office. Officer Dampare gave me a seat in front of him and the other officers flanked him.

Dampare took his phone out and put it in video recording mode (using his hand to gesture holding a phone in landscape) and directed it on him.
He asked me who sent me. And I asked what was going on. He also asked me if it was one NDC man called Sologo and another shirt man, I cannot recall his name. While I was at the Police station I saw him on TV. He was arrested from his office and taken to the CID.

He then dropped a phone on the table and asked ASP Sarpong to send me to the engine room.
When he took me there, he took out a machete from a fridge and hit my head with it and I was bleeding on my shirt. I started getting dizzy. The scar is still there. He said if I don’t accept what Officer Dampare had said, I will be killed. I could not think straight. I was not responding to whatever he was saying.

Counsel prayed the court to have the jury members take a look at the scar but the request was turned down.
Q: When you were attacked with a machete by this Gospel singer Police officer and you felt dizzy and didn’t answer the question, what happened?

A: He came to stand behind me and gave me two hefty slaps. At that point I fell on my knees and begged him that I will admit to whatever he wanted me to.
Q: Why did you kneel to beg?

A: I resorted to plead for my life because I have not died and resurrected before. The initial plan was to accept, so that when we return to the office I would explain myself better. I know my name is Daniel and in the Bible he went through a lot of tribulations, so I knew whatever the outcome was, I will prevail.

Q: After this situation, what happened?
A: He understood my response, handcuffed me and took me back to the office. Dampare again began to film and asked me about the two names, whether they sent me and I agreed.

I was kept there from morning to 6:00 pm and taken to the BNI office at Kawokudi.

The case was Adjourned to May 29 @11am.