Miner jailed 12 years for stabbing mason

The Tarkwa Circuit Court has handed a 12-year-old jail term with hard labour to a 28-year-old miner who stabbed a mason with a knife on his back severally at Nsuaem in the Western Region.

The convict, Joseph Ntiful, pleaded guilty with an explanation for causing unlawful harm contrary to section 69 of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (29/60).

The court, presided over by Hathia Ama Manu, rejected Ntiful’s explanation, saying he would be punished to serve as a deterrent to every Ghanaian out there, especially the youth.

In addition, a compensation of GH¢10,000 was awarded by the court against Ntiful.

Incident

Prosecuting the case, Superintendent Juliana Essel-Dadzie said the complainant, James Adu, and Ntiful were both residents of Nsuaem in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality.

She said on June 4, 2024, at about 8:30 p.m., Adu saw Ntiful standing beside a motorbike in his house and he asked about his mission and even went further to know if he was looking for his landlord.

The prosecution said Ntiful did not respond to Adu’s inquiry and as the latter drew closer, the former, in an angry tone, warned him to stay away from him.

That led to an argument between the two, an incident which drew the attention of other tenants who came out of their respective rooms to witness the argument degenerate into a fight.

Supt Essel-Dadzie said not long after that incident, while Adu was being advised by some of the tenants to stay away from any further engagement with Ntiful, the latter came from behind and stabbed Adu with a knife and then fled the scene.

Adu, with the help of some of the eyewitnesses, went to the Nsuaem Police Station to lodge a complaint. He was then given a police medical report form to seek treatment at the health facility while the police went after Ntiful.

The suspect was eventually arrested on Monday, July 22, 2024, and consequently sent to court.