Man jailed for chopping off farmer's thumb

Accra, May 27, GNA - An Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday sentenced a 40 year-old man, Foster Adede Zidah, to four years' imprisonment with hard labour for chopping off a farmer's right thumb. The farmer, Awudu Sari only rescued Zidah's wife when Zidah had battered her during a quarrel on their farm.

Zidah pleaded guilty with explanation. When the court, presided over by Mrs Georgina Mensah-Datsa asked him what his explanation was, Zidah accused Mr Sari of flirting with his wife. But the court rejected it and convicted him on his own plea. Chief Inspector Ben Darfour, the prosecutor, told the court that at 1500 hours on March 24, Mr Sari was on his farm when he saw, Zidah and his wife heading towards the main Tema Motorway exchanging words. The prosecution said Mr Sari later heard Zidah and his wife shouting on top of their voices and he and a witness in the case rushed to the scene.

When they got to them, Zidah's wife was bleeding from an injuring she had sustained on her head. Prosecution said when Zidah saw that Mr Sari wanted to rescue his wife he started throwing stones at him (Mr Sari). As soon as Mr Sari got to where the woman was, Zidah snatched a cutlass from a witness and chopped off Mr Sari's right thumb and took to his heels. 27 May 08