"Komfo Anokye Statue Destroyer"mentally ill

A preliminary medical report submitted by the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital on Thursday to the Ashanti New Town Tribunal on Evangelist Kwame who destroyed parts of the Komfo Anokye statue at Bantama, indicates that the accused is mentally ill.

According to The Graphic, the report suggested that Sarfo should be taken to the Accra Psychiatric Hospital for a more detailed examination since the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital does not have adequate facilities to assess the accused.

The tribunal presided over by Mr Samuel Kofi Achina, remanded Sarfo in prison custody to appear again on August 14, 2001.

The tribunal directed that during his remand the police should arrange for Sarfo to be fully examined at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.

The tribunal said since the issue of ownership of the whisk is not in dispute, it would not be fatal to the case of the prosecution if the court makes an order for restoration.

The tribunal noted that the act of destroying the statue is sacrilegious and so there is the need to make the order for restoration of the whisk so that repair work can commence. The tribunal said it recognised that the statue need not stand defaced for very long.

Sarfo, who hails from Obuasi, is standing trial for causing damage to a public property. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge. He is alleged to have been spotted at about 6 a.m. at the Komfo Anokye Roundabout on Monday, July 30, holding a Bible and a hammer.

He was later seen on the platform on which Komfo Anokye's statue is erected using the hammer to break the lower left arm of the statue, which hold the whisk. His action attracted a large crowd who prevented him from causing further damage to the statue.

He was later rescued from the crowd by a mechanic of the Suame Magazine and later taken to the Bantamahene's palace and handed over to the police.