Kwaku Baah's assault case takes two months' adjournment

Accra, Feb. 16, GNA - The case in which Kwaku Baah, a seasoned legal practitioner, is being tried on assault was on Thursday adjourned to Thursday, April 14 for continuation at the City Engineers Magistrate's Court in Accra.

Baah is jointly charged with Alberta Coffie, trader, for assaulting Miss Evelyn Mantey, a 34-year old hairdresser. Baah and Coffie allegedly assaulted Miss Mantey at her salon at Sakaman on November 12 2005.

They have both pleaded not guilty to the charge and have been granted bail in the sum of 10 million cedis each. When the matter came up for hearing today, Miss Mantey the first prosecution witness, told the Court that she was told about a land case only yesterday when she received summons to appear in court. Miss Mantey, who was answering questions under cross-examination by

Mr B. B. Quaye, Counsel for the accused persons, therefore, said she did not have any knowledge about any judgment on a land case which the Counsel was referring to.

When Counsel wanted to know about the Court's decision on the matter yesterday, the trial judge, Mrs Audrey Edem Kokuvi Tay objected to the question, saying that the case before her was one on assault. According to her, since the land case was pending in a different court, it was not necessary for the witness to answer any question on it.

Asked by Counsel whether she did not go to Dr Obed Asamoah, Immediate Past National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, to ask him to plead with Coffie, the owner of the land on which she Mantey was operating her salon, for an extension of time; witness replied in the negative saying that she went to Dr Asamoah on a different issue altogether.

At this juncture, Counsel for the accused persons asked for an adjournment and the judge obliged and adjourned proceedings to April 13 for him to continue with his cross-examination.