A scrap dealer who allegedly sprayed liquid substance into the eyes of a police woman on lockdown duties at Kaneshie Zongo junction has been remanded into police custody by an Accra Circuit Court.
The suspect, Osmanu Amadu was charged with two counts of failure to comply with the restriction orders imposed by the President and causing harm.
He pleaded not guilty to both charges and was remanded to re-appear on April 29, 2020.
The brief facts of the case according to court documents as presented by Chief Inspector Tenkorang were that the complainant Bernice Osei Owusu is a police woman stationed at the Kaneshie Divisional Police Command while Amadu is a scrap dealer and resident of Russia, a suburb of Accra.
According to the facts, “on Friday April 10, 2020, at about 9am, 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,” it indicated.
The prosecutor told the court that, as a result of the action of the accused, the complainant sustained servere injuries to both eyes, per the report of the medical officer who treated her.
Further investigation “showed that the accused was roaming aimlessly, contrary to the directives of the President.
Amadu told police, he “didn’t know what came over him.”
No Bail
Lawyer for the accused attempted to secure bail for him but the court presided over by Afia Owusua Appiah refused the application saying the punishment that comes with the offence (failure to comply with restriction orders imposed) is a severe one.
She said she was not convinced the accused will appear for the trial if granted bail.
The court ordered the prosecution to serve the accused person and his lawyer with all the documents they intend to rely on for the trial within 10 days.
Meanwhile, the court has ordered the registrar of the court to take possession of the alleged substance and see to the forensic laboratory processes of testing it.
The prosecution and the defence lawyer are also to be involved at all points until the result is brought to the court.
By Gibril Abdul Razak