Court grants mason GH₵6,000 bail for assaulting a driver

The Ashaiman District Court has granted bail of GH₵6,000.00 with one surety to Bernard Awaga, a 32-year-old mason, for assaulting a driver at a betting centre at Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region.

The court presided over by Derick Pardden Eshun, granted him bail following his plea of guilty with an explanation to the charge of assault.

The court also referred the case for alternative dispute resolution and adjourned it to June 17, 2024.

Chief Inspector Patient Afi Blihia, prosecuting, said the complainant was James Kofi Zor, a driver.

He narrated that on March 1, 2024, at about 1210 hours, a witness reported to the police that someone had been assaulted by an unknown person at the Bingo Bet Centre near Ashaiman Traffic and the victim was bleeding profusely from his nose.

The police rushed to the scene and met the complainant, who identified Awaga as his assailant. He was arrested, after which a complaint was made, and he was duly cautioned.

The investigation unearthed that both the complainant and the accused were at the Bingo Bet Centre in Ashaiman, staking bets when Awaga tapped the complainant, who was on a phone call, blaming him for stepping on his toe.

The prosecution said the complainant ended his call, apologized to the accused, and began to walk out. But Awaga, who was still aggrieved, slapped him from behind and he started bleeding from his nose.

Chief Inspector Blihia stated that upon seeing the complainant in that condition, the accused person pleaded for leniency and promised to assist the complainant in seeking medical care, but while both the complainant and the accused were at it, the police arrived at the scene and arrested him.

During interrogations, the accused person admitted having assaulted the complainant out of anger.