A 29 year-old welder, Edmond Duncan, has been sentenced to 36 months imprisonment and a fine of GH¢1,200.00 for unlawfully harming a driver’s mate.
The convict would serve 12 months in prison with hard labour if he failed to settle the fine.
Duncan’s predicament did not end there, as after convicting him on his own plea, the Presiding Judge of the Tarkwa Circuit Court, Mr Emmanuel Bart-Plange Brew, ordered him to pay GH¢3,600.00 to the victim as compensation.
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Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Faustina Celestina Anaman, told the Court that the complainant, a driver, resides at Tamso, while the convict lives at Efuanta, both suburbs of Tarkwa.
On August 28, 2018, at about 1900 hours, the complainant was driving a Nissan mini bus with registration number CR 873-16 from Simpa towards Tarkwa.
She said on reaching Dompim, Duncan and his two colleagues boarded the vehicle and the convict offered to be the drivers mate.
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According to Inspector Anaman, the complainant then informed the convict that his mate Abu Sulley was waiting for him ahead.
The prosecution said a few meters away, Sulley joined the vehicle and started demanding for the fares from the passengers.
In the process, the complainant instructed Sulley not to take money from Duncan to which he complied.
Sully then asked the other two colleagues who were with the offender for their fares; Duncan became offended and asked his friends not to pay because they were together.
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This resulted in an exchange of words between them and the complainant, and on reaching a section of the road at Bonsaso, he stopped the vehicle and Sully alighted.
Inspector Anaman said Duncan then attacked Sully, leading to a fight.
The convict then pulled out a knife from his pocket and inflicted a deep cut at the left side of the victim’s head.
Sulley was quickly taken to the Apinto Government Hospital, where he was treated and discharged.
Inspector Anaman said the matter was reported to the police and the convict was arrested still in possession of the knife he used in committing the crime.