Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 12 June 2012

Source: GNA

Steel bender jailed 36-months for stabbing girlfriend

A steel bender, Nii Laryea Quarshie, who stabbed his girlfriend three times in the back and the cheek over infidelity, was on Tuesday sentenced to 36 months imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court.

Quarshie on June 7 this year, pleaded guilty to causing harm and the court remanded him to re-appear on June 12 for sentencing.

The court, presided over by Miss Sedina Agbemava, before sentencing Quarshie, said the court took into consideration the gravity of the offence and the fact that Quarshie was bent on harming Diana Noko, his girlfriend and a nursing mother.

It said Quarshie stabbed the complainant in the cheek, absconded and returned to stab her twice on the back.

The facts as presented by the prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sarah Acquah, were that the complainant is a hairdresser residing at Chorkor in Accra, whilst Quarshie also lived in the same area.

ASP Acquah said the complainant was the girlfriend of Quarshie and they had an eight-month-old son but due to some misunderstanding Quarshie left the place and was now residing at Bukom.

The prosecutor said on May 30, this year, at about 1215 hours, Quarshie went to the complainant's house at Chorkor and asked her to hand over their son to him but the complainant refused.

She said to her surprise, the accused pulled out a knife and stabbed her in the cheek and absconded, and the matter was reported to the Police at Mamprobi.

On June 1, this year, Quarshie sneaked into the house of the complainant at about 0800 hours and stabbed her on the back twice. She fell unconscious as a result of excessive bleeding.

ASP Acquah said a report was lodged with the Police and Quarshie was arrested.

When he was cautioned, he stated that someone informed him that the complainant was harbouring a man in her room and that he picked the knife to threaten her.**