Man jailed for assault

Benjamin Mensah, alias Kwesi Alabo, 32, who beat his wife amidst threats of killing her and later bit the nose of a policeman during his arrest at Dawurampong in the Central Region, has been jailed two years with hard labour.

Mensah was charged with threat of death, assault on a public officer and causing harm to which he pleaded guilty.

The Dawurampong Circuit court, presided over by Mr. P.K. Richardson, also imposed a 250,000 thousand cedis fine on Mensah, in default of which he would go to prison for another six months.

Furthermore, Mr Richardson ordered Mensah to compensate the police officer, General Corporal Evans Futukpor, with ?1 million or serve a three-month prison term with hard labour. The sentences are to run concurrently.

Mensah’s plea for leniency backfired when Judge Richardson retorted: “I have heard your plea. But you don’t deserve any mercy. Your conduct was atrocious and dastardly.”

According to the prosecution, the complainant is the wife of Mensah and that following the beatings she had been receiving at the hands of her husband, she moved out of their marital home. On October 10, 2000, at 6.30 pm the complainant was in her house when Mensah arrived in a bad mood and started beating her amidst threats to kill her.

The prosecution said the woman ran away and lodged a complaint at the police station.

Thereupon, Detective-Sergeant Yeboah and General Corporal futukpor were detailed to accompany the complainant to her house and arrest her assailant.

On reaching the house, the policemen met Mensah but he resisted arrest in spite of the fact that he had been informed of their mission and threatened to kill the complainant in the presence of the peace officers for calling the police.

The policemen gripped Mensah and while they were bringing him to the police station, he attacked Corporal Futukpor, assaulted him and bit his nose. He was however overpowered and brought to the police station while the corporal who was bleeding profusely was rushed to the Catholic Hospital at Apam.

Cpl Futukpor was referred to the Police Hospital and thence to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra where he underwent a surgery.