JB Danquah murder trial: DSP Sarpong forced me to plead guilty to IGP Dampare – Prime suspect

The prime suspect in the murder of the late MP for Abuakwa North, Joseph Boakye Danquah on February 8, 2016, has told an Accra High Court that he was miles away from the legislator’s house when the incident happened.

Daniel Asiedu alleged that he was taken to an engine room and given hefty slaps by musician DSP Kofi Sarpong after which he was forced to accept criminality in the presence of IGP Dr Akuffo Dampare and SP Afia Tenge.

Daniel Asiedu nicknamed 'Sexy Don Don' who opened his defence told the court that on the day the legislator was murdered, he went to Agbogbloshie to patronise the services of a prostitute after making profit from his sale of flash drives filled with songs.

He noted that a lady who got his attention took him to her place and after two steamy rounds of sex he slept off in her house.

Sexy Don Don further told the court that upon waking at dawn he went to Konkonsa Bar, a popular hideout bar at Agblogbloshie to top up with an energy drink and a cigar but upon his return to the lady’s house saw a mammoth crowd gathered there.

Upon enquiry, he learned the pimp and another man by name Mawuko had come to ask his lady about his whereabouts. He would later find out the pimp was a Police informant.

Daniel Asiedu explained that he decided to report Mawuko at the Regional Police station after Janet, his lady informed him that she had insulted Mawuko following the altercation about whom she had spent the night with.
He further explained that he was escorted to meet IGP Dampare who had been flanked by Police gospel singer DSP Sarpong and DSP Afia Tenge.

He averred that IGP Dampare took out his phone to record and asked him if he had been sent by an NDC man by name Sorogo and another whose name he couldn’t readily recall.

Sexy Don Don who was confused with the development asked what was going on, but was rather taken to an engine room at the behest of the Police chief.

He alleged that while in the engine room, DSP Kofi Sarpong took out a machete from a fridge and battered him with the hilt of it, dazing him. He noted that he was additionally given two hefty slaps by the officer and ordered to admit to whatever IGP Dampare was asking him else he would be killed.

The first accused then admitted the criminality after he was taken back to the Police Chief and asked again about the offense.

Below are excerpts of his cross-examination:
A. I made up my mind to report the matter at the regional police station but on my way to pick an okada the rider told me not to because he knows Mawuko‘s superior who goes by the name Adotey and that he will lead me to Adotey to report the matter to him so that he would warm Mawuko. When the okada took me to Adotey he gave me a seat and I explained him what happened and that was the first time I met Adotey who is an informant.

Adotey told me to exercise patience and that he will lead me to the regional police station to report the issue and that was the first time I went to the regional police station. When we got to the police station Adotey asked me to wait by a police officer while he goes to see the police commander. When he returned from seeing the police commander, he asked me to come with him to see the police commander so the two of us went to the police commander’s office.

Q. Tell this court what time was this?

A. We got to the police at about 5:25am

Q. In your statement yesterday you mentioned Allotey and today you mentioned Adotey. Who are they?

A. The name I mentioned yesterday is not Allotey. His name is Adotey and he is an informant. The mentioned their name to me as Dampare, ASP Kofi Sarpong and the female was Afia Tenge. I turned around and saw that Adotey had left the office and was standing outside. Officer Dampare gave me a seat in front of him and two other officers sat by each side of me.

Dampare took his phone out and decided to record me and he asked me ‘who sent you’ and I asked what was going on. He continued to ask me if one NDC man called Sorogo and one short NDC man with an Ewe name. When I was at the police station o saw on the TV that he had been arrested at his office and sent to the CID HQ. He has an Ewe name that I cannot pronounce.

ASP Sarpong took me to the Engine room and took a machete out of a fridge and hit my head with it. I was bleeding and dazed. He told me to accept whatever Dampare was telling me or else I would be killed. I stood there for a while because at that moment I couldn’t think straight. I did not answer the questions he was asking me.

Q. When you were attacked with a machete by this gospel singer police officer and you felt dizzy and did not answer his questions, what happened after that?

A. He stood behind me and slapped me from both sides. At that moment I knelt down and begged him that whatever he said I have said and I shall do as he had asked me.

Q. Why did you kneel down to beg?

A. I have not died and resurrected before so I did want to take any decision that he would regret. So, I agreed to do whatever that he asked me with the hope that I can explain and understand what they were asking from me.

He understood me and took me back to the office and sat me down. Dampare once again took out his phones and d started filming me. He mentioned those two names and asked if they were the persons who sent me? and I said yes. I was kept there from morning till about 6pm and I was moved to the BNI office at Kawukudi.

Presiding judge Lydia Osei Marfo adjourned the case to May 29 for the continuation of the witness testimony of Daniel Asiedu.