The Akyem New Tafo District Court in Eastern Region has sentenced nine (9) accused persons who attacked teachers at Akyem Anyinasin Methodist Junior High School.
The convicts, with remorseful tears, pleaded with the presiding judge Her Worship Josephine Akyaa Dwamena to temper justice with mercy with a promise to be of good behaviour.
The Court considered the fact that they were first-time offenders, young and have shown genuine remorse hence sentenced to fines ranging from 150 penalty units to 250 penalty units which translates to Ghc1,800 to GHC 3,000 respectfully in default serves three months imprisonment.
The convicts are; Boateng Andrew alias Sunday, 22 (unemployed), Edward Appiah alias Proph, 20(unemployed), Marfo Albert Alias Vibes, 21,(unemployed), Afrifa Jeffrey alias Wiskid, 20, student of Ghana Telecom University, Accra, Ahadzi Christopher alias Pin Code ,27, farmer, Okyere Samuel alias pocket 21, mason and Henry Nyarko alias Control, 19, a Glass mender were all fined Ghc1,800 each in default serve 3 months imprisonment.
However, convict Amoako Prince alias Zinabu,23, unemployed was sentenced to a fine of Ghc2,400 on three counts in default and serves three months imprisonment, whilst Kwasi Gyentu Darkwa, 45, a chemical seller was fined Ghc3,000 in default and serves three(3)months for selling restricted drugs without a license.
The Court however directed for social enquiry report on two juveniles -Annor Benjamin alias Time Will Tell, 17, student of WBM Zion SHS, Tiboah-Addo Samuel alias Young god,17, student of Koforidua Secondary Technical whose case have been referred to Juvenile Court.
After court proceedings, family members and sympathizers who trooped to the court raised funds to pay for the fines.
They subsequently poured powdered perfumes on the convicts after they were freed amid jubilation and paraded them in convoys of cars and tricycles to the Anyinasin community.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Abuakwa North Alhaji Umar Bodinga who was personally present in the court with Ghana Education Service officials Akyem Tafo District Police commander and the judge for the seriousness attached to the case which he believe will serve as a deterrent.
The Public Relations Officer of Abuakwa North Municipal Education Directorate Maxwell Owusu said the directorate is satisfied that justice has been served.
He however said the Mathematics teachers who were forced by the convicts to kneel and apologize will be transferred from the community
Background
During the first appearance in court on August 3,2022, the Prosecuting Officer, Chief Inspector Banabas Mends narrated to the court that, on July 5,2022 ,it came to the notice of the teachers of Akyem Anyinasin Methodist Junior High school that some of the students were using drugs in the school. The teachers later established that a student by the name Amoako, nephew of accused chemical seller Gyentu Darkwa took the drug being diazepam from the drug store of his Uncle and send them to the school and gave them to his classmates.
On July 26,2022 between 9:40 pm to 10:50pm, the accused persons (excluding the drug store owner), and others at large who were armed with clubs confronted the complainants in the case – Owusu Asabre, 28, Asamoah Kissi Stanley, 27, and Boafo Evans ,29, all teachers in the school to intimidate them.
In the process, they forced one of the teachers – Owusu Asabre to kneel for minutes as his punishment. They subsequently threatened to harm the teachers if they joke with them.
They had also threatened the teachers earlier for alleging they supplied the Diazepam (D10) drug to the students.
On July 27th, the Parents Teachers Association(PTA) called a meeting on the matter but the accused persons stormed there to distract the meeting.
One July 29, 2022 official report was lodged at the Police station which led to the arrest of the accused persons on August 1, 2022. Police established that Diazepam is a restricted drug which must not be sold at a drug store.
They all pleaded guilty but sentencing was deferred to August 9, 2022.
-By Kojo Ansah|Starrfm|Ghana
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