JAK's "Assasin" sentenced to nine months

Accra, Aug. 5, GNA - An Accra Fast Track Court on Tuesday sentenced Thomas Osei, the man who drove into the President's car to nine months' imprisonment after finding him guilty of various charges. The President escaped unhurt. The court also sentenced the accused to various fines totalling GH¢ 28,200 in respect of various penalties which included 2,000 penalty units for dangerous driving and 200 penalty units for body injuries sustained by the President's driver and owner of a VW Golf car that was also involved in the accident.

The rest of the fines are 150 penalty units for negligently causing harm and failing to give way to presidential siren and convoy, which carries the Coat of Arms of the nation or in default serve a prison term not exceeding nine months. The court, however, acquitted Osei on the charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and use of narcotic drugs.

Mr Justice Emmanuel Ayebi, the trial judge, banned Osei from driving any vehicle for the next three years and ordered that his driving licence should be taken from him. The court also asked him to hand over his diplomatic passport to the Director of Immigration while the Police Service should give him back his Ghanaian passport. The court also advised Osei to formally apologise to the President and the nation for his conduct. The court said Osei's nine-month prison term took effect from the time of his arrest on November 14, 2007.

Mr Justice Ayebi said there was evidence to show that the President's car, which carried the Coat of Arms, was damaged and as such he was fined 150 penalty units or in default serve a prison term. He said even though there were some inconsistencies in the evidence given by prosecution witnesses it was worth noting that most of them collaborated the evidence of Constable Seth Frimpong, the policeman directing traffic at the Opeibea intersection. Mr Justice Ayebi said even though the accused had a clear view of the place he did not take a proper look at the traffic intersection, sped and ran into the presidential convoy. He said the claim by the accused that he heard the siren of the convoy faintly in the distance could not be supported since he ignored it.

The court said the claim by Osei that he was driving at 30-50 KM/h could not be true because the report from the experts stated that the accused could have stopped about 25 metres before the impact. Thomas Osei, 51, a businessman, was charged with five counts of motor traffic offences, use of narcotic drugs and failing to change ownership of the vehicle. The charges include dangerous driving, negligently causing harm, driving under the influence of alcohol, failing to give way to presidential siren and use of narcotic drugs. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against him.