15 armed policemen storm court as convict refuses to move to jail

The premises of the Koforidua High Court was thrown into a state of disturbances by a convict who launched a profane tirade in courtroom after he was slapped with a total of 25 years imprisonment with hard labour on Friday, September 27.

The convict, Yaw Antwi, 31, a farmer refused to be taken away by the few police personnel on duty at the Court to begin his prison sentence creating confusion at the Courtroom. It took the intervention of about 15 armed Police Officers dispatched from the Eastern Regional Police Headquarters to forcibly move him into a waiting vehicle to the Koforidua Prison.

Yaw Antwi, an ex-convict notorious in Akyem New Tafo for death threats and causing harm was convicted by the Koforidua Circuit Court “B” presided over by Her Honour Mercy Adei Kotei on three different cases Prosecuted by Inspector Owusu Ababio.

He was found guilty on varied counts of death threats, causing harm and disturbing public peace.

The convict -Yaw Antwi was sentenced 10 years for attempting to kill his father, Boakye Boateng, at Akyem New Tafo. The convict haven threatened life of the father many times in November last year, attempted to slash the father with a cutlass. Again, he was sentenced eight (8) years for attempting to hack a Police Officer – Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Yaro stationed at the Akyem New Tafo District Police Headquarters.

According to the Prosecutor, Inspector Ababio on February 3, 2019, at about 6:30pm, the convict pulled a cutlass to hack the hand of the Police officer while in taxi had the driver not sped off, sensing danger.

Lastly, the Court jailed Yaw Antwi to seven(7) years imprisonment on charges of disturbing Public Peace, threat of death and assault for storming a drinking spot with cutlass and brandishing same in fearful manner.

The convict on February 2, 2019 at about 7:00pm went on rampage In Akyem Tafo township Wielding cutlass and in the dreadful melee invaded EDIMA drinking spot in Akyem New Tafo township and forcefully demanded he was served alcohol for free but was denied.

This angered the convict who brandished cutlass amidst threats of killing the customers causing many to flee the spot.

Yaw Antwi went out of the bar and without provocation attacked complainant in this case -Oteng William a driver and resident of Mid Tafo

He hit him several times with the side of the cutlass and threatened to kill.

After committing the act, the convict went into hiding but on March 25,2019 he resurfaced at Tafo Zongo to inflict cutlass wound on fingers of one of the youth having bitten him. This infuriated the youth who overpowered and handed him over to the Police.

Before delivering the Judgement, the Prosecutor told the Judge that the suspect is notorious even after serving a five-year jail term in 2012 on the same offenses.

Therefore the sentence will serve as a deterrent and also inure to his safety from the hands of angry community members.