Three Nigerian COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment at an isolation centre in Accra have been arrested for assaulting a medical doctor at the facility.
They have been identified as Jubreal Abinbola, 23, who is a photographer, Ahmed Akinbiyi, 25, a musician, and Ramsey Omoefe, 24, a designer.
According to a police report, one of the patients pulled out a fork in a bid to stab the male doctor, whose identity has been withheld by the police, and when the doctor tried to escape, another suspect stopped him and gave him a hefty slap.
The Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Juliana Obeng, said the incident occurred on August 27, 2021 at the COVID-19 Isolation Centre in Accra where the three suspects were quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19.
“Our investigation revealed that the doctor while on his daily routine checks on patients at the COVID-19 centre disclosed to the three suspects who had also been quarantined that their COVID-19 status was still positive. This did not go down well with suspect Jubreal Abinbola who burst out in anger and rained insults on the doctor,” the police officer narrated to DAILY GUIDE.
DSP Obeng continued that the behaviour of suspect Jubreal Abinbola encouraged Ahmed Akinbiyi who charged on the doctor with a metal fork from his pocket and chased him in a bid to stab him.
“Suspect Ramsey Omoefe whilst observing the happenings, also grabbed the doctor whilst he was fleeing from suspect Ahmed Akinbiyi and slapped him.”
The doctor, she added, was able to escape from the attack and proceeded to the police station where he lodged a complaint.
The Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer said the three suspects were later arrested, and charged with the offence of offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace, contrary to Section 207 of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29).
All three suspects were arraigned before court and found guilty, and the court ordered them to pay a fine of GH¢6,000 each to be paid to the court and also pay additional GH¢2,000 each to be paid to the doctor as compensation.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey