Jihad Chabaan
The Abeka District Court in Accra could not continue hearing the case involving Jihad Chabaan, the Abelemkpe branch manager of Mawarko Restaurant, who is standing trial for assaulting a cateress at the restaurant.
This was because of the unavailability of the Arabic interpreter, Mohammed Mubarak Hidir, a lecturer at the University of Ghana, Department of Modern Languages.
According to the judge, Ms. Victoria Guansah, Mr Mubarak Hidir had written to the court urging it to adjourn sitting until June 5, 2017 to enable him come to court for the trial to continue.
Julio De Medeiros, lawyer for Jihad, said the date is not appropriate for him because he would be traveling to Nigeria
As a result, the judge adjourned the case until June 12, 2017.
At the last hearing, the court embarked on a mission to find the real meaning of the Arabic word ‘sharmota.’
Jihad has vehemently denied the use of the word, insisting that he does not understand the word and did not tell the police that ‘sharmota’ has a lot of meanings as the prosecution wants the court to believe.
Under cross-examination by the prosecutor, Chief Inspector H.A. Hanson, Jihad said he did not again tell the police that the meaning of the word is ‘prostitute.’
He stated that ‘prostitute’ in Arabic is ‘aahira’ and not ‘sharmota,’ contrary to the assertion by the prosecution.
When the judge wanted to know the true meaning of the word, Mubarak Hidir stated that it is a colloquial Arabic word which is used in the Arabic countries like Egypt and Lebanon.
He explained that the word usually connotes negativity and can be used to insult a lady meaning a ‘prostitute.’
The University of Ghana lecturer indicated that the word is not a colloquial or modern standard Arabic.
He further argued that in modern standard Arabic, there is a word for a prostitute not ‘sharmota.’
Jihad’s lawyer said he was not comfortable with the action of the judge seeking the meaning of the word.
Julio said it was not in the judge’s place to fish for information for the prosecution, adding that for the judge to ask for the meaning of ‘sharmota’ is to go beyond her jurisdiction.
He contended that the judge, per the act, had stepped into the shoes of the prosecution to try Jihad.
The accused, 26, is reported to have dipped the head of Evelyn Boakye, the cateress, into blended pepper on February 26, 2017.
According to the prosecution, the accused offensively conducted himself when he angrily called the complainant a prostitute.
Jihad is facing an additional charge of intentionally and unlawfully causing harm to Evelyn.
By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson
jeffdegraft44@yahoo.com