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The Bekwai Circuit Court has sentenced a 27-year-old house help, Ernest Agyei, to 84 months’ imprisonment with hard labour for pouring acid on a senior high school leaver in the Ashanti Region.
The court further ordered the convict to pay 500 penalty units, equivalent to GH¢6,000, as compensation to the victim, Benjamin Asante, a former student of Yamfo Anglican Secondary School in the Bono Region.
Agyei denied the charge but was found guilty after a full trial. In delivering judgment, the presiding judge, Mr Isaac Apeatu, dismissed claims that the incident was accidental, pointing to evidence of an earlier confrontation between the accused and the victim.
The court established that tensions arose during a tile-cleaning exercise involving acid, following disagreements among individuals present at the scene. The judge noted that the prosecution successfully demonstrated intent and lack of remorse on the part of the convict.
Chief Inspector Christian Amartey, who led the prosecution, told the court that the incident occurred on December 22, 2024, at Pakyi No. 2, where Agyei was employed as a house help.
According to the prosecution, Agyei became involved in an argument with another worker, Kwadwo Tawiah, during the cleaning exercise. When he reported the disagreement to the complainant, Benjamin Asante, the latter declined to intervene.
The court heard that Agyei took offence at Asante’s response, insulted him, and during the ensuing exchange of words, poured acid from a container onto him.
Asante was rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment for three months. Police investigations later led to Agyei’s arrest and subsequent prosecution.
