Ivy Heward-Mills, the wife of the late former Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North, Joseph Boakye Danquah Adu, has called on Parliament to break its silence on the unresolved murder of her husband.
In an open letter addressed to Speaker Alban Bagbin, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, and all Members of Parliament, she urged them to take action.
“Good morning, Parliament of Ghana.
Rt. Hon. Speaker, Hon Alban S.K. Bagbin
Hon. Majority Leader, Hon. Mahama Ayariga, Hon. Minority Leader Hon. Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin and all Honourable MPs:
Respectfully, you have been silent.
In June 2016, Jo Cox, British MP, was murdered in London. The House of Commons and The House Lords were NOT silent.
By November of the same year, Jo Cox’s murderer had been found, tried, convicted and sentenced. All in 5 months. It didn’t bring her back but it gave her family peace and closure. 9 years is a long time but let it not be said that 10 years went by and Parliament looked on unperturbed. Please accept the assurance of my highest consideration.”
She also posted another message on February 9, exactly nine years after the tragic loss of her husband, stating: “That indelible smile… 9yrs have gone by… Will there ever be justice? It is not well. It is not well at all.”
February 9, 2025, marks the ninth anniversary of Joseph Boakye Danquah Adu’s death, which occurred in 2016.
He was murdered in cold blood during the early hours of February 9, 2016, after being attacked by unidentified assailants at his residence in Shiashie, near the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange in Accra.
The MP was believed to have been stabbed multiple times during the attack at around 1:45 a.m. on that fateful Tuesday, leading to his death.
The prime suspect in the case, Daniel Asiedu, was found not guilty by a seven-member jury in December 2024 on charges of robbery and murder.
However, an Accra High Court has ordered a retrial of the accused, ruling that, under Section 285 of Act 30, the jury’s verdict was not legally acceptable.
As a result, the jury was discharged, and Asiedu has since been remanded into lawful custody.
