The Akyem New Tafo District Court in Eastern Region on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, sentenced nine persons accused of attacking and threatening teachers at Akyem Anyinasin Methodist Junior High School which led to the temporal closure of the school.
Tears were visibly seen dropping from the eyes of the convicts whilst in the dock. Each took a turn to apologize and begged for forgiveness.
Before sentencing them, the Presiding judge Her Worship Josephine Akyaa Dwamena said, the Court has considered the fact that the convicts were first-time offenders, young, and have shown genuine remorse hence sentenced to fines ranging from 150 penalty units to 250 penalty units which translate to Ghc1,800 to GHC3,000 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 a social inquiry report on two juveniles -Annor Benjamin alias Time Will Tell, 17, student of WBM Zion SHS, and Tiboah-Addo Samuel alias Young god, 17, student of Koforidua Secondary Technical whose case has 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 a convoy of cars and tricycles to the Anyinasin community.
Prosecutor, Chief Inspector Barnabas 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 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 9:40pm 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.
On July 29, 2022, an 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 that must not be sold at a drug store.
They all pleaded guilty but sentencing was deferred to today August 9, 2022.
Source: Mybrytnewroom.com/Obed Ansah
