An Accra High Court has fixed April 20, 2021, to rule on a bail application put in by Prince Charles Dedjoe, a businessman, accused of murdering his wife at East Legon, Accra.
Dedjoe has been refused bail by the Madina District Court, after being charged for murder.
He is alleged to have beaten his wife, Lilian Dedjoe, with slippers.
Arguing before the High Court for bail, Captain Retired Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey, in a 10 point grounds for bail, argued that the High Court was clothed with jurisdiction to grant bail, stressing that a person was presumed innocent until a court of competent jurisdiction had ruled otherwise.
Captain Rtd Effah-Dartey, said his client had a fixed place of abode and people of substance who would stand as sureties for Dedjoe.
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The defense counsel argued that the autopsy report produced by the pathologist gave the cause of death as blunt head injury as a result of a fall, saying that had no relation to a slap.
He said the accused was the breadwinner and his children needed him more and that he should be granted bail so he could also provide a befitting burial for his late wife.
Madam Salasie Kuwornu, Principal State Attorney, opposed to the grant of bail, saying, investigations were underway.
She said the court in granting bail should consider the interest of the public and the safety of the accused person.
The State Attorney noted that in the instant case, the accused person’s safety was at stake.
On March 22, this year, the Madina District Court declined Dedjoe bail because it did not have the jurisdiction to grant bail.
The District Court urged defense counsel to move to the High Court for bail.
Dedjoe allegedly assaulted his 43-year-old spouse with his slippers following a misunderstanding.
He is being held on the charge of murder. His plea has been preserved by the District Court.
The prosecution’s case at the district court was that the complainant was the deceased’s father who was a retired administrator, residing at Sogakope in the Volta Region.
The prosecution said Lilian, the 43-year old trader, now deceased was married to Dedjoe and they both lived at East Legon, Accra.
It said, for some time, Dedjoe and the deceased‘s relationship had been marred with some misunderstanding leading to conflicts between them.
On March 2, this year, the prosecution said a misunderstanding ensued between Dedjoe and the deceased, and as a result, Dedjoe assaulted Lilian who sustained injuries and went to the Madina Polyclinic for treatment.
The prosecution said when Lilian returned home, her condition deteriorated and on March 6, this year, Lilian went into a coma and was rushed to the Lister Hospital for treatment but she was dead on arrival.
A report was made to the Police and Dedjoe was arrested.
During investigations, Dedjoe admitted assaulting the deceased with slippers.