Court fines woman for biting co-tenant

Bawku (U/E), Aug 8, GNA- A magistrate court at Bawku on Tuesday sentenced Fati Laminu, a 26-year-old charcoal seller, to a fine of GH=A2 50 for biting her co-tenant.

Laminu who pleaded not guilty for causing unlawful harm, would in addition pay GH=A250 as compensation to Alice Serwaa, or in default, go to jail for two years.

Detective Inspector Augustus A. Yirenkyi told the court presided over by Mr. Paul Alhassan, that both Laminu and Serwaa were co-tenants at Sagabo, a suburb of Bawku.

Inspector Yirenkyi said the convict and her husband were in October last year, ejected from a house at Sabon Zongo in Bawku after she had bitten a co-tenant's breasts and fingers.

The couple rented another house within the same vicinity and was also ejected after the convict committed a similar offence during a misunderstanding between her and a co-tenant in March, this year. Inspector Yirenkyi said the couple rented a new room in the town and on July 7, Laminu quarrelled with Serwaa and the case was reported to the caretaker of the house.

He said Laminu refused to honour all invitations by the caretaker for the matter to be resolved.

Inspector Yirenkyi said on July 17, at about 2000 hours, the convict accused Serwaa of gossiping about her. He told the court that Serwaa did not react to the accusation and the convict threw soup that Serwaa was preparing at her (victim) and assaulted her.

Inspector Yirenkyi said a struggle ensued and Laminu bit the right thumb of Serwaa, which nearly severed off. The victim was rushed to the hospital and had the thumb stitched before reporting the matter to the police.