Tabloid News of Monday, 26 August 2002

Source: Chronicle

Tailor Gets 7 Years

A 21-year-old tailor caused a stir in court when he wept profusely after an Accra Circuit Tribunal sentenced him to seven years in prison for defiling an eight year old girl.

Eric Havor, the culprit, who pleaded not guilty to the offence, immediately started shedding tears with intermittent outbursts of, "I have not done anything," when the court presided over by Mr. Imoro Ziblim gave judgment.

Prosecuting, Inspector E. T. Boison, told the court that the accused dragged the victim, Akorkor Hamelo, who lives with her parents at Accra New Town in the same vicinity with the accused, into his room and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her.

Continuing, prosecution said the accused then warned the victim not to tell anybody of the act.

When the victim got home and began to feel pains in her vagina, prosecutor said, she then narrated the incident to her mother.

A report was, therefore, made to the police after which, the victim was issued with a police medical report form to attend hospital for examination and treatment.

The accused was then arrested and after police investigation, he was charged with the offence.

In another criminal case, what started as a joyous moment for a jubilant supporter of Accra Hearts of Oak, following the victory of his team over arch rivals, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, turned sour as Daniel Addoh, the man who is a taxi driver, has faced the full rigour of the law for severely injuring two people with his vehicle in the course of his jubilation.

Appearing before an Accra Circuit tribunal presided over by Mr. Imoro Ziblim, Addoh, who pleaded guilty on two counts of careless driving and causing harm was sentenced to a fine of ?800,000 or eight months in prison in hard labour.

Additionally, Addoh is to pay an amount of ?2 million to the victims or in default go in for three months in hard labour.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector J. K. Adu, told the court that on July 21, the accused was driving a Nissan taxi cab, No. GT 3452 A, from Kaneshie heading towards Sukura, both suburbs of Accra.

Continuing, the prosecutor said, on reaching Flamingo, another suburb of the city, the accused, in a jubilant mood, started driving in a zig-zag manner on the road with the headlights of the taxi on.

He ran into a stationary Hyundai Excel Taxi cab, No GR 13 Q, which forcibly moved and knocked down two victims, Mr. Isaac Ntim, 42 years and his daughter, Mercy Ntim, nine years, who were standing in front of a store.

The victims sustained serious injuries in the process and were rushed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment and were later discharged.