Court cages scrap dealer who sprayed 'substance' into eyes of policewoman

A Circuit Court in Accra has remanded a 22-year-old scrap dealer, Osmanu Amadu who is alleged to have sprayed a substance into the eyes of a police officer at Zongo Junction.

He is facing two charges to wit; failure to comply with the restriction orders imposed by the President and causing harm before Her Honour Afia Owusuaa Appiah.

He pleaded not guilty to both charges and has been remanded into police custody to re-appear on April 29, 2020.

Amadu, 22, was arrested by the Kaneshie Police for spraying an unknown substance into the face of a police officer while she was on COVID-19 lockdown enforcement duty at Abossey Okai Zongo junction.

Brief

The brief facts as presented to the court by Chief Inspector Tenkorang were that the complainant Bernice Osei Owusu is a policewoman stationed at the Kaneshie Police Divisional headquarters.

While Amadu is a scrap dealer and resident of Russia, a suburb of Dansoman

He said, “on Friday, April 10, 2020, at about 9:00 am, the policewoman was on a COVID-19 duty at the Zongo junction, near Great Lamptey Mills School, ensuring compliance of directives.”

“In the course of the duty, a taxi cab was stopped with the accused on board. He was questioned about his movement but he became furious and without any provocation, sprayed a liquid substance which was in a small plastic bottle into the eyes of the policewoman,” the prosecutor Chief Inspector Gulliver Tenkorang told the court.

The prosecutor told the court that, as a result of the action of the accused, the complainant sustain severe injuries to both eyes, per the report of the medical officer who treated her.

Further investigation he said “showed that the accused was roaming aimlessly, contrary to the directives of the President.

According to the police, the suspect was arrested after the police officer shouted for help. Osman Amadu told police, he “didn’t know what came over him.”

No bail

The court presided over by Her Honour Afia Owusua Appiah while ruling on a bail application by counsel of the accused said, the court was inclined to grant him bail.

The court said, the offenses the accused was charged with especially with count one, (failure to comply with restriction orders imposed) carry a severe punishment.

The court added that it was not convinced that the accused will not stand trial when granted bail.

Court order

The prosecution was ordered by the court to serve the accused person and his lawyer by way of disclosure all, documents it intended to rely on within 10 days.

The accused person has been remanded into Police custody to re-appear before the court on April 29, 2020 for Case Management Conference to be considered.

Controversy over alleged substance

Counsel for the accused person pointed out to the court that, the attitude of the prosecution shows that, the accused person will not be given fair trial should the alleged substance is fowarded to the forensic laboratory by prosecution.

He prayed the Court to instead make an order for the registrar of the court to take possession of the alleged substance and take to the forensic laboratory for testing.

Even though prosecution did not oppose to that move, Chief Inspector Tenkorang pointed out to the court that, the substance was brought to the court sealed.

He explained that it was sealed in the presence of the accused person and an independent witness. He also informed the court that the accused person signed to confirm that, it was the same substance that was brought to the court.

The court in its ruling subsequently asked the registrar of the court to take possession of the forensic laboratory process and both parties have been urged to be involved at all points until the result is brought to the court.