A 26-year-old house help is before the Bekwai Circuit Court for allegedly pouring acid on a Senior High School leaver.
Ernest Agyei has denied causing harm to Benjamin Asante.
He was granted GH₵50,000.00 bail with two sureties and is to reappear on December 17, 2024.
Police Chief Inspector Christian Amartey, who substituted the old charge sheet with a new one, earlier told the court, presided over by Mr. Isaac Apeatu, that Asante, the victim, was also the complainant and a former student of Yamfo Anglican Secondary School near Sunyani.
Chief Inspector Amartey said the victim was a resident of Trede, while Agyei, the accused, was a house help residing at Pakyi No. 2.
Prosecution stated that on December 22, 2021, the complainant’s brother, Francis Agyei, invited Benjamin Asante to assist him in cleaning tiles with acid. Agyei, the house help, joined the cleaning process along with Godfred Kwadwo Tawiah, a friend of the accused.
During the cleaning, Agyei and Tawiah got into an argument, Chief Inspector Amartey told the court. The court heard that later, Agyei went to Asante and asked him to see what Tawiah had done to him. However, Asante told Agyei that he would not interfere in the dispute between him and Tawiah.
According to Chief Inspector Amartey, Asante told Agyei that he would have reacted the same way if it had been him, which offended Agyei. This led to Agyei insulting Asante, resulting in an exchange of words between them. Agyei then picked up a container of acid from the cleaning materials they were using and poured it on Asante.
The prosecution said Asante was rushed to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and was admitted for three months.
Chief Inspector Amartey stated that a complaint was made to the police on June 20, 2022, which led to Agyei’s arrest on October 9, 2022.
Following an investigation, Agyei was charged and brought before the court.
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