Complainant pleads for pardon for accused

Asamankese, April 19, GNA - A man, whose lover set fire to his property, pleaded passionately with the Asamankese Circuit Court to show clemency on her just as the Court was about to pass sentence on her. Mr Emmanuel Prah, a palm wine taper, appealed to the Judge, Mr Kofi Akrowiah, to discharge Chrisba Kudjoe, since he had been the most "unhappy man" since he reported her to the Police and she was charged with causing unlawful damage to his property valued at two million cedis.

But Mr Akrowiah told Prah that the accused had already been convicted at an earlier sitting and what he could do under the circumstance was to grant her a five-million-cedi bail and adjourn the case to April 24, for him to consider the plea. Chrisba had pleaded guilty with explanation, saying, she did it in retaliation for the severe assault on her by her lover. Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector S. A. Ntow told the court that Chrisba and Prah, who lived at Asubone, near Akwatia and had been lovers for the past three years and blessed with a two-year-old daughter. He said on March 13, this year, one Gyankyi, who hailed from the same hometown as Prah, requested for Prah's photograph to be sent home. Since the photograph was in Chrisba's album, Prah went for it without informing her and just as he was removing it, Chrisba appeared on the scene and objected to the removal. The prosecution said, this resulted in a quarrel between the two during which they tore each other's photographs after which a fight ensued.

But Chrisba, who was not satisfied after the fight, went to Prah's house and set his room ablaze, thus, causing extensive damage to everything in the room including a tape recorder, travelling bag containing personal effects, bed and mattress. A report was made to the police and she was arrested. 19 April 06