Drama in court as convict tries to escape

Accra, Oct. 27, GNA - Immediately after an Accra Circuit Court had pronounced sentence against a handcart propeller on Wednesday, he became wild and struggled with two Policemen, who were escorting him to begin his sentence.

The Police overpowered him and dragged him to one of the empty courts, where he was handcuffed. He left behind his worn-out bathroom slippers ("Charle wate).

Abdul Fatahu Kassin, 24, was sentenced to 24 months' imprisonment with hard labour. He pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy and stealing a Sony Ericsson cell phone, valued at 900,000 cedis belonging to Ms Elikem Alaiwor, a Secretary with a Consultancy Firm in Accra. An accomplice, who was charged with the same offence, is on the run.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Emmanuel T. Boison told the Court that on October 26, Ms Alaiwor was sent with an amount of 20,000 cedis by the Boss to buy some food.

Mr Boison said Ms Alaiwor on reaching the overpass at Kanda, Kassin and the accomplice attacked her, twisted her right hand, dragged her on the ground and forcibly took away her phone together with the money. Ms Alaiwor had bruises on her left knee.

Mr Boison told the Court presided over by Mr Justice Kwame Aseidu, that Ms Alaiwor raised the alarm but the accused and his accomplice on sensing danger and seeing a crowd, jumped into a big gutter nearby and took to their heels.

He said they were given a hot chase through the gutter to Kanda Flats, to Nima 441 and was finally arrested by the Police then on guard duty at Ghana Broadcasting Corporation but his accomplice managed to escape with the phone.

Upon investigation, Kassin denied knowing his accomplice and said lived at Mamobi but came to have his bath in the gutter near King Tachie Tawia Overpass.