Man jailed for chopping off rival’s ear

A 44-year-old man has been slapped with a six-month jail term for chopping off his rival’s ear as the two fought over a girl. 

The convict, Joseph Mensah Amartey, was charged with the offence of causing harm to one Japhet Tetteh Josiah.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted on his own plea.

“I know very well that I have committed the offence, but I beg the court to be merciful,” he told the Circuit Court judge, Priscilla Dapaah Mireku.

Having heard his plea, the judge held that since the accused person is a first- time offender and also for availing himself before the court, she will be lenient.

According to the court, the accused had also shown remorse.

The accused was sentenced to six months in prison and in addition to the jail term, Amartey is also to pay a compensation of GH₵2,000 to the complainant.

Facts

The facts of the case presented by a police prosecutor, Chief Inspector John Gohoho, were that the complainant is Japhet Tetteh Josiah an information technology engineer.

The accused person, 44-year-old Joseph Mensah Amartey, is unemployed.

According to the prosecution, the complainant and the accused person reside at Teshie.

On August 13, this year, at about 9:30 pm, while the complainant and his girlfriend, Emelia Laryea, who is a witness, in the case, were on their way home, the accused person emerged and followed them for about 500 meters.

Chief Inspector Gohoho said the accused held the witness hand to follow him home and ignore the complainant, but the witness turned the accused person’s request down.

He told the court that a misunderstanding ensued between the complainant and the accused person, and in the process accused person chopped off part of the complainant’s ear.

The complainant subsequently reported the matter to the police.

The complainant was issued a medical form to attend hospital and later led the police to arrest the accused person from his hideout.

The prosecution said during investigations, “it was revealed that  Emelia Laryea was dating the two men, so when he saw the witness following the complainant he became violent and attacked complainant.”

The accused person in his caution statement admitted the offence and after investigations, he was charged and brought before the court.