Pieces of Audio-visual recordings of Daniel Asiedu, the first accused person “reconstructing” the crime scene to the police on how he allegedly killed the late Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa North was admitted in evidence on Monday.
The over five pieces of video recordings played in opened court as part of the Evidence-in-Chief of the Investigator Chief Inspector Augustus Nkrumah showed Asiedu, alias Sexy Don Don demonstrating how the life of the legislator was taken.
The late JB Danquah Adu, then MP for Abuakwa North Constituency was killed in his residence at Shiashie in 2016.
Daniel Asiedu, alias Sexy Don Don who is facing the charge of murder has pleaded not guilty.
He is also facing a separate charge of robbery while together with Vincent Bosso (2nd Accused) are facing the charge of conspiracy to rob which they have both denied.
In court on Monday, July 18, 2022, Chief Inspector Nkrumah, who is the eighth Prosecution Witness told the court that, some video recordings were made when the first accused person was being interrogated.
The videos, he said, were taken when Asiedu was sent to the crime scene for reconstruction.
“The recordings were done by the police with the police camera. That’s a camcoder during interrogation and same recorded and kept on pendrive as exhibits,” he told the court presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo.
Reconstruction of crime scene
According to EIB Network’s Court Correspondent Murtala Inusah, a crime scene reconstruction is the process of determining the sequence of event about what occurred during and after a crime.
In the pieces of the video played in open court, the first accused person was seen on the video explaining the use of the catapult and the scissors retrieved from the crime scene.
While being led at the scene with investigators, the accused also said in the video that, the late MP died before he left the scene.
He also demonstrated how he entered the house through a window and how he saw the late MP laid on his bed.
He also told the court how the exited the premises after the incident.
Asiedu also demonstrated to the police at the crime scene how he picked the mobile phones and how the man noticed him in his room.
The late MP according to Asiedu said, held him tight by the neck and could not have his way but pulled the scissors in his pocket and starved him.
He also noted how he had a persistent struggle with the late JB Danquah Adu before he finally gave up.
He also pointed to where the late MP laid when he entered his room and knelt before the late MP’s bedside and offered prayers to God.
He also told the police about iPhones he took away and how he searched in the room for some “documents” and “laptops.”
“I searched if I could get anything but I did not see anything. I took one of his shirt and wore.
He also noted that he picked 3 forms from the room of the late MP and that, the mobile phones were (then) at Circle with a guy called Kwame.
He also indicated he gave the phones to “one a guy I stays with Agbogbloshie I calls him Borga.”
Torture, duress and inhumane treatment
Lawyer Yaw Dankwah, counsel for Asiedu while objecting to the tendering of the videos described the manner the recording were taken and said accused was “torture” and “under duress.”
“We object to the tendering of this videos because accused person was under duress and at all material time with at least 10 police officers on him…” he argued.
To buttress his point, Lawyer Dankwah pointed out to the court that, “one of the officers was at all-time seen with his hands on a trigger.”
“He was tortured. He was not fed,” Lawyer Danquah observed. “There was no lawyer to represent the interest of the accused at the crime scene reconstruction.
Counsel said, his client was never given an opportunity to have a lawyer and described the manner as “inhumane.”
“He was treated wrongly. I am so disgusted. This is wrong.”
Accused was relaxed
Sefakor Batse, a Senior State Attorney who represented the prosecution said, the pendrive played in open court was clearly what was disclosed during disclosures.
She said, the first accused is the one seen on the video and contrary to the submission of counsel that accused was subjected to torture, it is clear on the video recording that the first accused was very relaxed throughout although he was in handcuffed.
The Chief State Attorney also told the court that, the marks on his (Accused) neck as referred to by counsel are clearly marks inflicted on him during his struggle with the deceased.
She also contended that, the accused had demonstrated how he had to use his head through the torns to enter the house and so there are no suprise he had bruises.
“The witness in the box is the investigator who was seen in the video at all times and he had always all the time had his hands on the accused and he is the one putting this evidence in court.”
She said, the recordings are very relevant to “our case” and prayed the audio recording is admitted in evidence
By Court
Justice Lydia Osei Marfo after listening to the argument overruled the Objection.
“Objection is overruled so far as it is the case of prosecution that this evidence is relevant to their case,” the court said.
“The weight to put on it is subject to cross-examination by counsel of accused. It is within his right to rubbish this piece of evidence when he has his time during cross-examination,” the court noted.
Consequentially, the pendrive containing the said reconstruction of the crime scene was admitted in evidence and marked as “Exhibit S.”
The case has been adjourned to Tuesday, July 19, 2022 for continuation.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Murtala Inusah
