Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection Otiko Afisa Djaba has said the necessary measures are being put in place to deal with the Lebanese supervisor at Marwako, Jihad Chaaban, who allegedly dipped the face of Evelyn Boakye, a Ghanaian worker at the eatery, into a paste of pepper.
Ms Djaba on Monday March 6 wrote on her Facebook page: “Ghanaians should be rest assured that necessary measures are being put in place to address the Lebanese who smeared pepper on the face of the Ghanaian worker. Justice will surely come to play. Thank you all for your concern.”
Meanwhile, Mr Chaaban, in a letter dated Sunday, 5 March 2017 and addressed to Ms Boakye, has said: “I wish personally to sincerely apologise to you for the incident on the night of 26 February 2017 at our Abelenkpe place of work.
“True to God, all I sought to do was to point you to something I found wrong. I admit I was angry a bit at the moment and saw you panic and accidentally resulting in the pepper splashing onto your face.
“…I very sincerely regret the incident and apologise to you.”
Mr Chaaban, in his apology letter, also said the money he gave the victim to pick a car with to go the hospital on the night of the incident was not a bribe.
“Please don’t feel I have any hatred for you because you got the police to arrest me and I have to face prosecution and disciplinary proceedings at the same time. I also regret that you may have felt the transport money I gave you was intended to stop you from taking any action. I take my suspension in good faith because of what happened, which has not only hurt you but also brought such embarrassment to the company we both gave our best to give it the excellent reputation it enjoys,” he added.
The incident is currently being investigated by the police who arrested Mr Chaaban, interrogated him, and released him on bail.
Management of Marwako has also come out to condemn the incident and suspended Mr Chaaban over the matter until the police are done with investigations.
Meanwhile, the police foiled an attempted attack on the eatery on Sunday night following an avalanche of anti-Marwako sentiment unfurled on social media dubbed #BoycottMarwako.