Causing Harm By Use of offensive weapon

A 28-year-old miner has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in hard labour by the Tarkwa Circuit Court for stabbing a mason with a knife on his back severally at Nsuaem in the Western Region. Joseph Ntiful, the convict, pleaded guilty with an explanation for causing unlawful harm: contrary to section 69 of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (29/60). The court presided over by Hathia Ama Manu rejected Ntiful’s explanation, saying, he would be punished to serve as a deterrent to every Ghanaian out there, especially the youth. In addition, a compensation of GH¢10,000 was awarded by the court against Ntiful. Superintendent Juliana Essel-Dadzie, prosecuting, said the complainant, James Adu, and Ntiful were both residents of Nsuaem in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality. She said on June 4, 2024, at about 8:30 pm, Adu saw Ntiful standing beside a motorbike in his house, and he asked about his mission and even went further to know if he was looking for his landlord. Prosecution said Ntiful did not utter a word, and this compelled Adu to draw closer, but he ordered him to stay away from him, got furious and started raining insults on Adu. She said a misunderstanding ensued between the two but other tenants who overheard them shouting came out of their respective rooms to prevent them from fighting. Afterwards, a witness advised Adu to stay away as it was late and he could be attacked, but suddenly Ntiful stabbed Adu with a knife and he went to the Nsuaem Police station to complain. Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said while the duty bearers were hunting for Ntiful who went into hiding, they gave out a Police medical report form to Adu to visit the health facility, who later returned the form to the Police after treatment. She said on Monday, July 22, 2024, at about 4:30 am intelligence gathered by the Police led to the arrest of Ntiful. myjoyonline

Michael Oppong, a 51-year-old ‘trotro’ driver, has been remanded into Police custody by the Ashaiman Circuit Court for stabbing a passenger with a knife over an additional 50 pesewas lorry fare charge. The victim, Ketogloh Mawunyegah Edoh, has since been treated for his wounds and discharged from the hospital to await further treatment. The plea of Oppong, who was charged with causing harm, was not taken and was remanded by the court, presided over by Mr Simon Gaga, to reappear on March 25, 2024. However, the court will wait for the outcome of a surgery to be conducted on the victim, to ascertain the severity of the harm caused to him, as well as remove an object identified by medics in the stabbed area. Police Chief Inspector Joyce Nyarko, prosecuting, said the complainant in the case was Dziedzorm Edoh, the wife of the victim, who claimed that on February 5, 2024, at about 2030 hours, the victim alighted from Oppong’s vehicle at Global, a suburb in the Tema West Municipality, after joining it at Adjei-Kojo. According to the prosecution, a misunderstanding ensued between the victim and the accused person over a 50 pesewas balance, which the accused demanded from the victim after he offered to pay Gh₵ 4.50 pesewas instead of five cedis. Chief Inspector Nyarko said the two quarreled and during which Oppong took a knife from under his foot carpet at the driver’s side of the vehicle and stabbed the victim with it at his back. She said some onlookers assisted to disarm the accused person of the knife and rushed the victim to the New Crystal Hospital for treatment. The prosecution said someone then alerted the complainant at home which was few metres from the scene, who, together with others, handed over the accused person to the Kanewu Police station, where a report was made. Madam Nyarko said Oppong was re-arrested, and the knife retained as an exhibit, while police proceeded to the said hospital and met the victim on admission, responding to treatment. Chief Inspector Nyarko said the victim was issued with a police medical report form, which the victim returned after being discharged from the hospital two days after the incident. She said the police were informed by the medical officer that there was an object in the wound that needed further treatment through surgery. By Priscilla Nimako Tema, Feb.13, GNA