Crime & Punishment of Saturday, 1 April 2023
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
The complainant in the case of stabbing against Braimah Isaac Kamoko, aka, “Bukom Banku”, a Ghanaian Professional Boxer, has written to an Accra Circuit Court, withdrawing the matter.
When the case was called, the Court drew the attention of the prosecution that the complainant had written a withdrawal letter.
The prosecution led by Chief Inspector Maxwell Ayim indicated that he was not aware of the withdrawal letter.
Chief Inspector Ayim said he had invited the complainant to the conference, but he had not honoured the invitation.
He was therefore surprised the complainant had written a withdrawal letter.
The prosecution, therefore, opposed the letter, saying the Republic was an interested party in the case and that the Police were waiting to obtain the witness statements of the complainant and others witnesses to file so that a date could be fixed for trial to commence.
The Court presided over by Adelaide Abui Keddy, a High Court Judge sitting with additional responsibility as a Circuit Court Judge, therefore adjourned the matter to April 27.
The GNA has gathered that Bukom Banku has paid GHS7,800 to the complainant and that could explain why he has written a withdrawal letter.
The GNA gathered that the complainant, Mr Ishmael Neequaye, is a relative of Bukom Banku.
Bukom Banku has been granted GHS 50,000 bail with two sureties by the Court.
The boxer is before the court on a charge of abetment of crime.
He is said to have abetted with one Prosper Quaye to cause harm to one Ismael Quaye at Bukom in the Greater Accra Region.
Bukom Banku ‘s son, Mustapha Kamoko, who was also facing the charge of causing damage, has also been granted GHS50,000 bail with two sureties.
Bukom Banku, 50, and his son Mustapha Kamoko pleaded not guilty.
The case of the prosecution is that the complainant, Mr Ishmael Neequaye, is a footballer, residing in Bukom while the accused persons (Bukom Banku and his son) are boxers and Prosper Quaye, unemployed.
The prosecution said all the accused persons were residents of Bukom, near James Town.
It said on November 25, 2022, at about 1730 hours, the complainant was in his room sleeping when he heard an unusual noise around his house.
The prosecution said the complainant woke up and saw the accused persons seriously attacking some friends of his, including Julius Tagoe, a witness in the case.
It said the complainant approached them and calmed the situation and that Bukom Banku on seeing the complainant, broke a bottle and gave it to Mustapha to inflict wounds on him.
The prosecution told the Court that Mustapha took the advice of Banku and inflicted a deep wound on the abdomen of the complainant who bled profusely.
It said Prosper also took a stone and hit a 32-inch television belonging to Tagoe.
The prosecution said the complainant was rushed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where he was admitted.
It said the accused persons escaped arrest, necessitating the issuance of criminal summons to have them appear in court.