A 26- year-old ex-convict, Prince Cudjoe, who was accused of causing harm to his neighbour in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region, has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in hard labour by a Tarkwa Circuit Court.
The convict also called Abeiku, pleaded guilty to the charge and the court presided over by Hathie Ama Manu, sentenced him on his own plea.
Giving the facts of the case to the court, Chief Inspector Joseph Lartey, noted that the complainant, Daniel Mensah, a farmer, resided with Cudjoe at Ndadieso near Aboso in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality.
He revealed that about five years ago, Cudjoe unlawfully entered the complainant’s room and stole an unspecified amount of money which led to his arrest.
Cudjoe was subsequently hauled before a court and at the end of trial he was convicted and sentenced to prison.
The prosecutor said after serving his sentence and returned home, Cudjoe was still unhappy with the complainant for reporting him to the police.
So on April 22, 2023, at about 8am, the complainant met the ex-convict at the back of his house while on his way home from the farm, and Cudjoe asked Daniel Mensah where he was coming from, but because they were not on talking terms, the complainant did not answer and walked away.
According to the prosecutor, the ex-convict became offended and pushed the complainant, but Mensah proceeded to his house. He said Cudjoe trailed the complainant, held his neck and hit his head severally against a wall.
The complainant who sustained injury on the head, shouted for help and Cudjoe sensing danger fled into a nearby bush and went into hiding.
Daniel Mensah later lodged a formal complaint with the Aboso police after which a medical form was issued to him to undergo treatment and the results were later brought to the police duly endorsed by a medical officer.
The prosecutor indicated that on June 17, 2023, the police had information that Cudjoe had resurfaced and was hiding in his room at Ndadieso. He was then apprehended by the youth of the community and handed over to the police.
The ex-convict admitted the offence in his police caution statement and was subsequently charged with the offence and put before court.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi