The accused person in the Marwako pepper attack Jihad Chabaan is asking for an out of court settlement of the case with the alleged victim Evelyn Boakye.

Lawyers of the accused person while quoting section 73 of the Courts Act, which deals with reconciliation in criminal matters which are not a felony, pleaded for an out of court settlement with the “help of the court”.

Lead lawyer for the accused person, Julio de Medeiros, said all the charges preferred against his client are misdemeanors and that the court does have the power to order the parties to attempt a settlement.

The Police Prosecutor, Chief Inspector Hanson Armah, however, is opposed to the application. He said one of the charges, causing harm, is a second degree felony.

The presiding Judge, Victoria Ghansah, subsequently adjourned the case to April 10 to give the application of the defence team some consideration.

Background

The 25-year-old was inhumanely treated by her supervisor, Jihad Chaaban at the Ablenkpe branch of the food company. According to her, Chaaban shoved her face into hot pepper paste and preventing her other colleagues from coming to rescue her.

Narrating her ordeal, the victim told the Daily Graphic that although she had been employed to work in the Rice Department, she was occasionally asked to help in other departments where more hands were needed, however, on Sunday, February 26, 2017, she was asked to help in the Full Chicken Department, where she was instructed to blend fresh pepper for the seasoning of the chicken.

Commenting on the abusive treatment meted to Ms Boakye Tuesday in a recent interview, Ms Djaba said: “After 60 years of independence, nobody’s right should be infringed upon and as the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, that message is at the core of our vision and what we have to do for Ghanaians and so I’m taking this matter seriously.

“I will meet the management of Marwako, I’ll meet the victim and then we will have discussion with the Ministry of Employment and TUC and other organisations that are owned by foreigners and even Ghanaian employers. We must respect each other; I think that is at the bottom of what is going on. It is the lack of respect, we need to respect our employees because we cannot do what they do.”

The restaurant has since condemned Chaaban’s act as the police takes up the issue