Boakye Danquah Adu Murder Case: A Decade of Unfinished Justice in Ghana

Introduction: A Widow’s Plea Echoes Through a Decade

On February 9, 2025, Ivy Heward-Mills posted a heartfelt tribute on social media to mark a somber milestone: the tenth anniversary of her husband’s murder. Her message, filled with love and lingering pain, was for Hon. Joseph Kofi Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah Adu, the former Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North, Ghana. While she honored his legacy of service, humility, and principle, her words underscored a profound national failure: a high-profile homicide case remains unresolved a decade later. This article examines the Boakye Danquah Adu murder case, the extended legal limbo, the family’s enduring wait for closure, and the broader implications for justice delivery in Ghana. It is a story not just of one family’s grief, but of a judicial system grappling with delays, procedural complexities, and public trust.

Key Points: The Unresolved Case at a Glance

The Crime: Boakye Danquah Adu, a former Ghanaian MP, was stabbed to death at his Shiashie, Accra residence on February 9, 2016.
Primary Suspect: Daniel Asiedu, alias “Sexy Don Don,” was charged with murder and theft. A second suspect, Vincent Bossu, was acquitted.
Legal Status: After a protracted trial, a 2024 jury delivered a split 4-3 verdict, leading to a discharge of the jury and a court-ordered retrial under Ghana’s Criminal Procedure Act.
Current Delay: The retrial has been repeatedly adjourned due to juror absenteeism and administrative challenges, with no final verdict reached.
Family’s Position: The widow, Ivy Heward-Mills, publicly mourns while privately enduring the agony of an unfinished legal process, seeking definitive closure and justice.
Public Concern: The case has become a symbol of prolonged trial delays in Ghana, raising questions about judicial efficiency and the right to a speedy trial.

Background: The Murder and the Long Road to Trial

The Night of February 9, 2016

In the early hours of February 9, 2016, Ghana was shocked by the news of the violent death of Boakye Danquah Adu at his home in Shiashie, a suburb of Accra. A former legislator known for his active role in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and his constituency work, his killing was treated as a high-priority case by the Ghana Police Service. Initial investigations quickly led to the arrest of Daniel Asiedu, then 19, who was reportedly known by the alias “Sexy Don Don.” He faced charges of murder and theft. Another individual, Vincent Bossu (also reported as Junior Agogo), was arrested but later discharged and acquitted by the court.

The Protracted Trial: A Timeline of Adjournments

The subsequent trial became one of the longest-running and most contentious homicide proceedings in recent Ghanaian legal history. The proceedings were characterized by:

Frequent Adjournments: The case was postponed numerous times for various reasons, including the unavailability of prosecutors, defense counsel, and witnesses.
Juror Issues: At critical stages, jurors failed to appear, leading to suspensions. In a significant development in late 2024, after years of testimony, a seven-member jury could not reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in a 4-3 split decision.
Legal Discharge and Retrial Order: Following the hung jury, the presiding judge, applying provisions of Ghana’s Criminal Procedure Act (Act 30), discharged the jury and directed the Attorney-General to file fresh processes for a retrial. This legal mechanism allows for a new trial when a jury is unable to agree on a verdict.

Despite the retrial order, court hearings have continued to be stalled. The cycle of scheduled dates followed by last-minute adjournments has prolonged the agony for all involved and fueled public cynicism regarding the case’s resolution.

Analysis: Systemic Hurdles and the Cost of Delayed Justice

The decade-long journey of the Boakye Danquah Adu case exposes several chronic issues within Ghana’s criminal justice system. The delays are not merely administrative; they have profound human, legal, and societal costs.

1. Structural and Administrative Inefficiencies

The repeated adjournments point to underlying resource and logistical constraints. These include:

Case Backlog: Ghanaian courts, especially in the Greater Accra region, face a significant backlog of cases, stretching judicial resources thin.
Witness and Juror Management: The system appears to lack robust mechanisms to ensure the consistent availability of jurors and key witnesses, leading to frequent collapses of trial schedules.
Prosecutorial and Defense Preparedness: While both sides have the right to a fair trial, the length of the process can sometimes reflect tactical delays or overburdened legal teams.

2. The Human Toll: Beyond the Immediate Family

For Ivy Heward-Mills and the extended family—including the Heward-Mills and Jones-Quartey families—the legal limbo is an open wound. As she stated, “not a day goes by without your presence being felt.” The psychological impact of protracted legal proceedings on victims’ families is well-documented, preventing genuine mourning and closure. The family’s public stance, while dignified, carries an unspoken accusation against the state for failing its duty to deliver timely justice.

3. Erosion of Public Trust and the “Justice Delayed” Principle

The maxim “justice delayed is justice denied” is acutely felt in this case. For the Ghanaian public, the Boakye Danquah Adu murder trial has become a benchmark for assessing the health of the justice system. When a case involving a former MP—a figure with presumed access and visibility—stalls for ten years, it severely damages perceptions of equality before the law. It suggests that even with prominence, the wheels of justice can grind incredibly slowly, raising fears for ordinary citizens with fewer resources.

4. Legal Nuances: The Hung Jury and Retrial

The 2024 split jury verdict (4-3) is legally insufficient for a conviction or acquittal in a jury trial for a capital offense like murder in Ghana. Under Section 132 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1960 (Act 30), if a jury cannot agree after reasonable deliberation, the judge may discharge them. The Attorney-General then has the discretion to re-prosecute. While this is a standard legal provision, its application in a decade-old case highlights the system’s vulnerability to stalemate. The retrial, though legally permissible, faces the same logistical hurdles that plagued the first.

5. Comparative Context: Other Prolonged Trials in Ghana

The Boakye Danquah Adu case is not isolated. Other high-profile cases, such as the trial for the murder of journalist Ahmed Suale (2019) or various financial crime trials, have also faced significant delays. This pattern suggests systemic challenges rather than isolated incidents, including inadequate court infrastructure, insufficient judicial staff, and cumbersome pre-trial procedures.

Practical Advice: Navigating the Path Forward

For the family, advocates, and concerned citizens, the situation demands strategic and persistent action. Here is practical guidance based on legal and advocacy best practices:

For the Family and Legal Representatives:

Maintain Consistent Legal Pressure: The legal team must file meticulous motions to compel the court to set firm, unadjournable dates for the retrial, citing the constitutional right to a speedy trial (Article 19(1) of the 1992 Constitution).
Document All Adjournments: Keep a precise record of every court date, reason for adjournment, and the official court notation. This log is crucial for any future petition to the Judicial Council or for media narratives.
Engage with the Office of the Attorney-General: Request formal updates on the prosecution’s readiness and strategy for the retrial. The AG’s office bears a constitutional duty to prosecute diligently.
Consider Victim’s Rights Advocacy: Explore partnerships with civil society organizations like the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) or Human Rights Advocacy Centre to amplify the family’s plight as a systemic issue, not just a personal one.

For Civil Society and Media:

Sustained, Fact-Based Reporting: Media outlets must continue to report on each adjournment, naming the specific reason (e.g., “juror absent,” “prosecutor unavailable”). This builds a public record of the delays.
Judicial Scorecards: NGOs can develop and publicize performance metrics for the specific court and judges handling the case, comparing timelines against statutory expectations for murder trials.
Public Education Campaigns: Educate citizens on the Criminal Procedure Act and constitutional guarantees regarding trial timelines, framing the Boakye Danquah Adu case as a test of these principles.
Petitions to Judicial Oversight Bodies: File formal complaints with the Judicial Council and the General Legal Council regarding the administrative conduct of the trial, focusing on the pattern of delays rather than the verdict itself.

For Policymakers and the Judiciary:

Implement Case Management Reforms: Adopt and enforce strict case management rules for serious offenses, with automatic review by a superior court if a case exceeds a prescribed period (e.g., 24 months from arraignment to verdict).
Strengthen Witness and Juror Support: Establish a dedicated fund and administrative unit within the judicial service to ensure the reliable attendance of jurors and material witnesses, including transport and subsistence allowances.
Explore Technological Solutions: Utilize digital systems for tracking case timelines, sending automated reminders to all parties, and managing juror summoning to reduce administrative failures.
Review the Jury System: Given the complexity and length of some trials, the legislature should consider a review of the jury system for capital offenses, potentially allowing for judge-alone trials in cases where jury logistics create insurmountable delays, with the consent of the accused.

FAQ: Addressing Common Questions

Why is there a retrial after ten years?

The original trial ended in late 2024 with a “hung jury” (a 4-3 split verdict). Ghanaian law requires a unanimous verdict for a conviction or acquittal in a jury trial for murder. Since the jury could not agree, the judge had no choice but to discharge them and order a retrial under the Criminal Procedure Act. This is a legal outcome, not a failure of the initial prosecution per se, but it resets the clock on the process.

What happened to the second suspect, Vincent Bossu?

Vincent Bossu, also known as Junior Agogo, was arrested and charged alongside Daniel Asiedu. However, during the course of the initial trial, the prosecution entered a “nolle prosequi” (a formal notice of discontinuation) against him, or the court acquitted him due to insufficient evidence linking him directly to the crime. He is no longer a party to the case.

Is Daniel Asiedu still in custody?

Yes. Daniel Asiedu has remained in custody throughout the proceedings. Being charged with murder, he is not entitled to bail as a matter of right. His continued detention is a standard aspect of the pre-trial and trial process in a capital offense case in Ghana.

What legal grounds can be used to challenge the delays?

The primary legal ground is the constitutional right to a fair trial within a reasonable time, enshrined in Article 19(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. Prolonged, unexplained delays can be argued as a violation of this right. Additionally, the rules of court provide for dismissing a case for want of prosecution if there is inordinate and inexcusable delay attributable to the prosecution.

Can the family seek compensation for the delayed justice?

While compensation for “delayed justice” per se is not a standard legal remedy, the family could potentially explore civil actions for wrongful death against a convicted perpetrator after a final verdict. The primary focus now is on securing that final verdict through the criminal process. Any claim for damages arising from the state’s failure to provide a speedy trial would be a complex constitutional action, but the immediate goal remains the criminal trial’s conclusion.

Conclusion: The Legacy of a Life and the Test of a System

Boakye Danquah Adu’s life, as described by his widow, was one of service “to God, your family, your constituency, and Ghana.” His violent end and the subsequent decade of legal uncertainty have cast a long shadow over that legacy. The case is now more than a murder investigation; it is a