National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini has called for more protection for Daniel Asiedu, the prime suspect in the murder of late Member of Parliament for the Abuakwa North Constituency, J.B. Danquah.

This follows Asiedu’s claim that some members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) hired him to assassinate the MP.

“I am worried for his safety…I wonder if he would be safe in custody if what he is saying is true,” Suhuyini said on Citi TV.

Asiedu is standing trial for allegedly murdering the Abuakwa North MP, JB Danquah in 2016.The suspect on Wednesday voluntary confessed in court that some NPP members contracted him to assassinate the MP and also threatened to name the persons behind the murder.

Suhuyini claimed that because some members of the NDC were accused of being behind the death of the MP at the time, it is expedient for the security agencies to boost security for the suspect.

“At the time there were suggestions from some quarters that this may have been a politically motivated murder. Even though it is not pointing to what we are hearing now, there were some political connotations. And for what I think it is only further investigations that will establish and provide those answers,” he added.

He also called for further investigations to ascertain the truth in the matter.

“I wonder if the gentleman would even be safe in custody if what he is saying is true because he is accusing a party in government. One would have thought that maybe he would have been accusing the party in opposition. Maybe because the party in power would have put him up to it, but he is saying that he is now speaking because there were certain agreements he had with certain people in the NPP and they are not meeting that agreement. And he is not unaware that these people may have become powerful by virtue of the outcome of the elections of 2016. So I am worried now for his safety,” he added.

John Kumah dares Daniel Asiedu to name J.B Danquah’s ‘killers’

Also speaking on Breakfast Daily, member of the governing NPP and Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP), John Kumah dared Daniel Asiedu, to name the people he claims hired him to carry out the dastardly act.

“If it is anybody in NPP he should be bold to mention the name. What is he hiding? I will not sit on TV to defend anybody in NPP who sends another person to go and kill,” Mr Kumah said.

He also urged Ghanaians not to politicize the case and allow the security agencies to do their work.

“I will never accept this even if it happens to an NDC friend. Let us not rush to make this matter and NDC/NPP matter. We should not rush to take political advantage of some of these things because eventually if we do this and it gains grounds in this country, it is our lives we are putting on the line. We must all be careful what he puts there.”

Background

The late J.B Danquah-Adu was stabbed to death on February 9, 2016, at his Shiashie residence in Accra. Daniel Asiedu, who was the prime suspect, was arrested two days after the incident.

One other person Vincent Bosso was also arrested later in connection with the killing. The murder of the former MP shocked many and led to discussions concerning the security of legislators.

Daniel Asiedu and one other person Vincent Bosso, have been charged with murder and abetment for the killing of the late MP.

Asiedu had earlier said that he went to the MP’s house to steal but ended up killing him in self-defence.

He, however, withdrew these claims and stated that he had gone with the intention of killing the legislator.

Autopsy challenges

The brouhaha over the autopsy report was just another twist in the legal process meant to bring the alleged perpetrators to justice.

Asiedu and Bosso were on trial at the High Court after more than a year of committal proceedings at the district court.

But on May 29, 2017, they were discharged by the High Court after the Attorney-General filed a nolle prosequi to discontinue the prosecution.

They were subsequently re-arrested and re-arraigned.