A teacher, Mac-Billy Ani, has been fined GH¢1,200 by the Dzodze Magistrate Court for assaulting a technical staff of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
Ani, who was standing trial at the court for assaulting a public officer and illegal connection of electricity, was fined after the court, presided over by Lawrence Buernor Buer, found him guilty.
The accused, after pleading guilty to both offences, was sentenced to the fine, or in default, serve 12 months in prison with hard labour.
He was ordered to sign a bond to be of good behaviour for twelve months and also to pay a compensation of GH¢2,000.00 to the complainant, Emmanuel Agbemadu.
Whereas the compensation was to be paid immediately, the trial magistrate ordered the fine to be paid on Monday, November 27, 2017.
Facts
The facts of the case as presented in court by the police prosecutor indicated that the accused was caught in October by an ECG technician, for illegally connecting electricity to his home at Ehi-Biase Kpota in the Ketu North District of the Volta Region.
The technician, Emmanuel Agbemadu, during his routine house-to-house checks, discovered that Mac-Billy had illegally tapped power from another customer, having earlier been disconnected for non-payment of his bills.
Emmanuel immediately disconnected the line of the accused from the illegal supply. Before he could leave the premises, the accused arrived home and ordered him to re-connect the cables. In the ensuing confrontation, Mac-Billy Ani pounced on the complainant and punched him in the face several times.
According to the prosecution, it took the intervention of some neighbours to rescue the ECG staff from the grips of the accused. With blood oozing profusely from Emmanuel’s nostrils and mouth, he made a report at the police station and later went to the hospital.
An assessment by the Loss Control Unit of the Electricity Company of Ghana in Ho confirmed that power was illegally tapped without recourse to the company. The accused, who initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, later changed his plea to guilty with explanation. He explained that the complainant provoked him by first piercing him with his working tool.
Despite his explanation, the court found the evidence presented before it overwhelming hence, found him guilty and sentenced him accordingly.
From Collins Anku, Ho (collinsselasime10@gmail.com