Driver's mate jailed for slashing colleague

October 27, 2008 (Page 47)

A driver’s mate who inflicted deep machete wounds on his colleague has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in hard labour by an Accra circuit court.
Richard Osei, alias Koliko, committed the offence at the Odawna Lorry Park, near the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, on October 13, 2008 after he had been exposed by the victim as having stolen locally fermented cheese called “Wagashie”.
The victim, Kojo Aboagye, also a driver’s mate, sustained deep machete wounds on his head and ribs.
Osei, 25, who was sentenced on his own plea of guilty by the court, presided over by Mrs Ivy Heward-Mills, wailed uncontrollably as he was escorted from the courtroom to begin his sentence.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Mary Adika, had told the court that the victim called a lady who was selling a local food known as “Wagashie” to buy some.
While the seller was on her way to serve Aboagye, Aboagye saw Osei secretly removing some of the “Wagashie” from the seller’s tray.
Aboagye alerted the seller to that, infuriating Osei in the process.
Osei described Aboagye as an enemy, went for a machete and inflicted wounds on Aboagye’s head and ribs.
After the attack, Aboagye, who was saved by onlookers, lodged a complaint at the Neoplan Police Station where he was issued with a police medical form to attend hospital.
Osei was later arrested by onlookers and handed over to the police.