A Takoradi District Court, presided over by Mr. Bernard Biney, has remanded a Chinese national, Dai Mengsheng, into police custody over alleged murder charge.
The accused has been charged by the Police for the offence of preparation to commit murder, to wit, murder, contrary to Section 19 and 46 of the criminal offences Act 1960 (Act 29).
The charge preferred against the accused was based on legal advice by the Attorney General (AG) office in Sekondi and complainant in the case is David Anthony Nicole-Sey, a successful businessman based in Takoradi.
Accused was arrested on February 14, 2025 at Tarkwa and was transferred to the Regional Police Command in Sekondi. He has been in police custody since his arrest.
Appearing in court in handcuff, Dai Mengsheng plea was not taken, neither was the fact of the case read in open court.
Lawyer for the accused, Benjamin D. Andoh, prayed the Court to grant his client bail, given the fact that, the accused has been in police custody since February 14, 2025 when he was arrested by the Police.
He told the court that since the AG had given its advice, it was clear the Police had concluded investigation into the case and, therefore, ready to prosecute.
To that end, his client was entitled to bail and would cooperate with the police given that, he was a man of substance and had a permanent stay of abode in Tarkwa.
Counsel told the court that, per the fact of the case, the charge preferred against his client did not directly link him to the crime and it was trite that, when a charge did not link accused to a crime, he ought to be granted bail.
The Magistrate agreed with the submission of accused’s counsel, but was quick to add that his hands was tied because his court did not have jurisdiction to preside over a murder case.
He, therefore, remanded the Chinese into police custody and adjourned the case to March 4, 2025.
Source: Thechronicle
Discussion about this post