74-year-old man granted bail over alleged deception of public officer

The Amasaman Circuit Court has granted GH¢70,000.00 bail with two sureties to a 74-year-old pensioner accused of deceiving public officers. Abraham Kwashie has denied the offense.

Two individuals, Tawiah Kwashie, a 30-year-old electrician, and Mawuli Olegbe, a 20-year-old machine operator, who were arraigned alongside him, were also granted GH¢70,000.00 bail each with two sureties. They pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to cause damage, unlawful entry, and causing unlawful damage.

The trio was ordered by the court, presided over by Ms. Enid Marful-Sau, to reappear on August 1, 2024.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Frederick Awuah-Ansah informed the court that the complainant, Godfred Owusu, a software developer residing in Sarpeiman Faase near Amasaman, along with Frank Jackson, Empire Destiny, and Dorcas Akosua Babe Zaah, all witnesses, were present.

The accused persons, Abraham Kwashie, Tawiah Kwashie, and Mawuli Olegbe, are also residents of Sarpeiman Faase.

On April 21, 2024, Empire Destiny, a witness in the case, engaged Abraham Kwashie's services to massage his wife, Rita Francis, who had injured her waist after falling down a staircase in East Legon.

Abraham Kwashie informed the witnesses that he could not travel to East Legon and suggested transporting her to Sarpeiman Faase, where he resided.

Following the suggestion, the witness brought his wife to the complainant's house near Abraham Kwashie's residence and invited him over.

However, after some time, Abraham Kwashie left the premises without providing the massage.

Chief Inspector Awuah-Ansah stated that Abraham Kwashie "exited the room, came outside, and, without waiting for the main door to be opened, attempted to flee the house without attending to the sick woman. He jumped over the fence wall using a bench."

Unfortunately, he fell and sustained injuries. Subsequently, he raised a false alarm in the community, claiming he was attacked by the complainant.

Approximately fifteen youths from the community, led by Tawiah Kwashie and Mawuli Olegbe and armed with stones and cutlasses, rushed to the complainant's house.

They allegedly threw stones at the house and used cutlasses and other offensive instruments to damage glass windows, a metal gate, a security door, laptop computers, mobile phones, and a plasma television set.

The prosecution reported that the complainant and witnesses called a police patrol team to the scene, but the accused persons had fled by then.

Chief Inspector Awuah-Ansah added that Abraham Kwashie falsely reported to the Sarpeiman police that the complainant and witnesses had caused him harm.

A formal complaint was subsequently lodged by the complainant at the Amasaman police station, leading to the arrest of the accused persons.

Following an investigation, they were charged with the offenses and presented before the court.