By Antwi Boasiako John, Classic FM Techiman B/A, Ghana

The Techiman circuit court has fined a forty- three year old steel bender Gabriel Attipoe Kwasi to seven hundred Ghana cedis or in default 24 months imprisonment with hard labour for causing harm to a Techiman based trader. The Court also awarded three hundred Ghana cedis to the complainant miss Margaret Adom aka Antie Naana also in default six months jail term. Attipoe pleaded not guilty but after marathon of trial the judge found him culpable and convicted him accordingly.

Narrating the facts of the case presided over by Justice George Ntumi, the prosecutor Chief Inspector John Amponsah told the packed crowd court that the complainant who sells soft drinks situated near Classic FM station whereas the convict is also a resident in Techiman.

The Police said on 28th may 2009 about 9pm, the accused together with unidentified group of people stormed the premises of Classic FM in an attempt to vandalize the station without apparent reasons. Chief Inspector Amponsah noted that, the accused who was visibly charged attacked the complainant who was then selling her minerals near the station.

He added that when the husband of the woman attempted to rescue his wife, the accused pelted him with stones and took to his heels. The victim was taken to the Holy Family Hospital at Techiman where she was treated and a complaint was later made to the police.

Chief Inspector Amponsah stressed that, the accused was arrested and after investigation Attipoe was charged to face the law.

On passing the sentence, Justice Ntumy observed that Attipoe now convict action was irreprehensible and therefore deserves severe punishment as a deterrent to others. He also warned the youth to desist from such acts, adding that the law will deal with any perpetrators who will be found culpable.

It will be recalled that on that fateful day, the station was running a programme dubbed “Kanawu” when an irate group of NDC supporters attacked the station with cutlasses, sticks and other sharp implements. They stabbed the Business Manager of the station Mr. Michael Amankwaa and vandalized the station.

Prior to the programme, the host, Alhaji Tanko had played a secretly recorded tape in which the MP of Techiamn South, Addai Simon was telling a group of women he met at Dagomba Line, a suburb of Techiman that the former MCE, Mr. Prince Yaw Donyina had stolen one million Ghana Cedis he the MP had given from his share of the HIPC Fund. He also told his listeners that he will make live uncomfortable for the NPP supporters in the municipality. These comments did not go down well with listeners who called into the programme to lambaste the MP.

As the programme was going on, the Techiman South Constituency Chairman of the NDC who also doubles as the secretary of the GPRTU, Mr. Nashiru called in to warn the host that if he did not stop the programme, something will happen. Less than five minutes after this call, the irate and visibly charged NDC supporters attacked the station. It was the third time that the NDC had attacked the station.

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