Four in court for assaulting suspected thief

Three men and a woman are in the grips of the law for assaulting a teenager at Domeabra, a suburb of Dadieso in the Western Region.

They are Ayaha Osei, a petty trader, 38; Kwabena Adutwum, a fridge repairer, 37; James Koah, a barber, 18; and Ismail Ibrahim, an apprentice, 29.

The pleas of the four who appeared before the Enchi District Magistrate court for assault were not taken.

The trial judge, Mr Solomon Kwesi Alormatu granted bail to each of the accused in the sum of GH¢ 3,000 with a surety each.

The four are expected to reappear on May 28.

Prosecuting, Superintendent of Police Raymond Kofi Erzuah told the court that all the accused and the victim Isaac Asare live in the same house at Domeabra.

He said on April 20, 2018, at about 6:30 pm, the victim’s sister, Sarah Asare, who resides at Dekyemso-Dadieso received a distress call that the accused were assaulting her 19-year-old brother, Isaac Asare, for allegedly stealing.

The caller claimed that after the four had beaten the victim to a pulp, they asked him to eat fresh pepper, ginger, salt, onion, fish and drink cooking oil, which he did under duress.

Superintendent Erzuah said after receiving the information, the complainant rushed to her brother’s aid and found him lying in his room with wounds all over his body.

The complainant quickly took him to the Seventh Day Adventist church clinic at Dadieso where he was admitted for treatment.

The prosecution said on April 21 the victim’s condition worsened and he was referred to the Juaboso Government Hospital to receive further medical attention.

He said a report was made to the police and the accused were arrested and sent to the Enchi police station for investigation.

Superintendent Erzuah said upon interrogation, Kwabena and Ismail told the police that they did not know about the crime.

He said Ayaha and James, however, admitted the offence in their investigation caution statement and mentioned Mohammed and Kayah as their accomplices.