Farmer who assaults friend with cutlass remanded.

Sogakope, April 10, GNA- Dada Hoyome, a 21 year old farmer, who slashed a bosom friend after they have had a meal together, was on Monday remanded in police custody by a Sogakope Circuit Court. Hoyome, whose plea was not taken, was charged with causing harm and carrying an offensive weapon. He would be brought before the court again on April 21, this year. Police Chief Inspector Josephine Akpoak told the court presided over by Mr Emmanuel Ankamah that Hoyome lived at Keseve in the North-Tongu District while Teye Ankamah lived at Adonorkope in the Dangme-East District. She said the close friends visited each other regularly and that in the morning of Tuesday April 1, this year the victim again visited Hoyome at Keseve after which the two returned to Adonorkope where they bought some fried fish and went back to Hoyome's house at Keseve to prepare a meal.

Miss Akpoak said while having their siesta after the meals, Hoyome reached for his cutlass, went out to sharpen it and returned to see Ankamah still resting and inflicted several cuts on him including the neck. She said Ankamah's shout for help attracted neighbours, who came to the scene and rushed the victim to the hospital, while another group arrested Hoyome and handed him over to the police. The source said Hoyome, who admitted the crime claimed a strange thought influenced him to harm his friend, blaming the attack on the devil.

Miss Akpaok said Ankamah was still on admission at the hospital. At the same court Godwin Anadu, alias Taller, 30, a driver and an alleged car thief was also remanded in police custody to be brought to the court again on May 7, this year. Miss Akpoak said Anadu hired a colleague driver's taxi to a village near Adidome and allegedly strangled him on the way and stole his taxi. She said Taller dropped his victim in the bush taking him for dead, but he recovered and sought help. Miss Akpaok said police traced Taller and the cab to Kasoa in the Central Region. She said Taller removed the cab's registration number and wrote "on test" in place of the number.