Crime & Punishment of Thursday, 25 June 2009

Source: GNA

Man Compensated for Drinking Broken Bottles.

Dunkwa-on-Offin (w/r), June 25, GNA - A Dunkwa-on-Offin Circuit Court presided over by his Lordship M.E. Essandoh has ordered Guinness Ghana Limited (GGL) to compensate a 32-year-old teacher, Frederick Appiah, with 5,000 Ghana Cedis for drinking glass particles contained in a bottle of Smirnoff Ice drink, a product of GGL.

The Court ruled in favour of Appiah, the first plaintiff and two others, Nicolas Adomako Nyantakyi and Richard Quartson, second and third plaintiffs respectively, who received 1,000 Ghana Cedis each for the damage caused them by the company when pieces of broken bottles were found in the drink they were enjoying on July 12, 2006. Pronouncing judgment, His Lordship Essandoh said he had reached the verdict after a careful study of the evidence presented by the plaintiffs, as well as medical reports provided by an accredited hospital. He, therefore, awarded them a total of 7,000 Ghana Cedis as damages.

The first plaintiff Frederick Appiah said on July 12, 2006, he and his two friends (first and second plaintiffs) went to a bar at Mfoum, a suburb of Dunkwa, to have a drink.

In the course of drinking Appiah said he felt some pieces of broken glass on his tongue and quickly reported to the bar attendant who offered to change the bottle, but he refused and decided to report the matter to the Police.

He said upon the advice of the police he went for a medical check-up, where it was revealed that he had swallowed some particles of a broken bottle.

Appiah said he had since battled the issue with the GGL for compensation.