Wamfie District Court jails two farmers for 44 months

A District Court at Wamfie in Dormaa East of the Bono Region has sentenced two farmers, Stephen Opoku and Samuel Owusu to 24 months and 20 months respectively, for threat of death and unlawful assault.

They both pleaded guilty and while Opoku, first convict aged 28, was charged with threat of death, unlawful assault and causing harm to one Benedict Agyekum, 28-year-old Owusu, second convict had been charged with threat of death and causing harm.

The Court convicted and sentenced Opoku to eight months for each charge to run consecutively whereas Owusu was also convicted and sentenced 10 months each of his two charges, but a third accused by name Enoch was still at large.

Police Inspector (P/Insp.) Emmanuel Asare, the prosecutor, told the Court presided over by (name withheld on magistrate’s order) that the complainant and convicts as, well as the third accused were all natives and residents of Danyame, a farming community near Dormaa-Ahenkro, but convicts were local farmers.

He said during the Christmas festivities a football match was organised at the village, but a misunderstanding ensued between a witness in this case and a spectator after the match, which was resolved.

P/Insp. Asare said about 2230 hours later, the first convict accompanied by the second convict went to the over-the-counter medicine shop of the complainant and threatened him with a locally manufactured pistol.

The prosecutor added that at about 2230 hours on Sunday, December 31, 2023, while the complainant and other witnesses were preparing to go to the 31st watch night service, the first convict armed with same locally manufactured pistol came and stood in front of the complainant’s house and dared anybody to come out.

P/Insp. Asare said the complainant and co-tenants were so frightened and therefore locked themselves in their rooms, but the prosecutor added that while the first convict was issuing threats, he was suddenly hit by an object from the darkness which rendered him incapacitated.

The prosecutor said the third accused who was close to the scene quickly came and took the locally- manufactured pistol away but the first accused was assisted by the second accused and a fire service personnel to seek medical treatment.

P/Inspt. Asare said on Tuesday, January 01, 2024, the first convict saw complainant during a musical concert in the village and pounced on him after alerting second convict who prevented anyone from rescuing the complainant, adding that third accused also held the complainant’s hands while the first accused was assaulting him.

He explained that in the process, the first convict pulled a knife concealed on him and stabbed the complainant at the occiput (lower back side of the skull).

The complainant, therefore, reported the incident to the Police at Nsesreso a nearby community and both convicts were arrested and handed over to the Dormaa-Ahenkro Police for further investigation, P/Inspt Asare said.

He said the convicts admitted to the offences during interrogation and were consequently charged and brought before the Court while the Police still made efforts to apprehend third accused person.