Court dismisses Marwako Manager Bail application

An Accra High Court has dismissed a bail application pending, filed by Jihad Chaaban, the Abelemkpe Branch Manager of Marwako Restaurant.

Chaaban was on August 2, this year sentenced to nine months imprisonment by the Abeka District Court, after he was found guilty on the charge of causing harm and assaulting Ms Evelyn Boakye, a worker of the Restaurant by splashing blended pepper in her eyes and calling her prostitute.

The court presided over Mr Justice Ekow Baiden ruled that Defence Counsel failed to convince the court by providing it with documents indicating the appeal process had begun and that the appeal could also succeed.

Chaaban’s lawyer had pushed that his client should be admitted to bail since he would have finished serving his sentence before the substantive appeal is heard.

The state however contended that the chances of the manager’s appeal succeeding were slim hence bail should not be granted to the serving convict.

On August 2, this year, the Abeka District Court, sentenced Chaaban to nine months imprisonment, for dipping the face of a worker, Ms Evelyn Boakye, into blended pepper.

The Abeka District Court gave him six months imprisonment for assault and nine months for causing harm after it had found him guilty on the two charges. However the sentences were to run concurrently.

It however discharged him on the charge of offensive conduct.

The Court, presided over by Mrs Victoria Ghansah, said the prosecution had proven beyond every reasonable doubt that the accused committed the offence.

The sentence, the court noted should serve as a deterrent to supervisors and employers who mistreated their subordinates.

The court further rejected the terms of settlement by the two parties presented by the Defence; stating the matter before the court was a criminal one and not a civil one.

Chaaban, on February 28, this year, allegedly grabbed the neck of Ms Boakye angrily and dipped her face into a full jar of blended pepper.

He reportedly accused her of fidgeting with the blender and working slowly.

Ms Boakye was an employee at the Abelemkpe Branch of Marwako Restaurant.

Chaaban was charged with offensive conduct by calling the victim a prostitute and intentionally and unlawfully causing harm and assault.