Driver and Mate in Court over assault

A driver and his mate who assaulted a passenger have been granted a GH₵ 30,000.00 bail, with two sureties, one of whom was to be justified by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Court.

Eric Amponsah, the driver and Alhassan Siaka, his mate, pleaded not guilty to the charge and would reappear before the court presided over by Mr. Abdul Razak Musah on September 10, this year.

Police Chief Inspector Francisca Nyarko, prosecuting, told the Court that the complainant, Haruna Hamid, is a photographer, whiles the two accused were in charge of Nissan Urvan bus with registration number AS 591-16.

The Prosecution said on August 4, this year, at about 2040 hours the complainant boarded their vehicle from Maakro to Kronum.

She said in the course of the journey, a misunderstanding ensued between the complainant and other passengers on board the vehicle.

She said when they reached Kronum lorry station, the complainant notified the accused to stop the vehicle to enable him to alight but they failed to stop.

The prosecution said the complainant then forced himself out of the vehicle while the vehicle was still in motion.

Prosecution said in the process he pulled the gate and the side glass was removed.

She said the mate quickly jumped out of the vehicle, attacked the complainant, and subjected him to severe beatings.

She said the driver later stopped the vehicle, and also attack the complainant with a metal object, hitting his skull which resulted in a deep cut with profuse bleeding.

Prosecution said, the complainant also lost a tooth in the beatings.

She said a witness in the case, who came to his rescue, assisted him to the police station to lodge a complaint.

Inspector Nyarko said the complainant was issued with a medical report form to attend hospital for treatment.

The medical report form was returned endorsed by a medical officer upon which the accused were arrested.

She said investigative cautioned statements were obtained from the accused and after investigations, they were charged with the respective offences and brought before the Court.