Nii Odartey Lamptey Jailed

A SCULPTOR, who intentionally used a machete to inflict wounds on a policeman at Odawna Traffic Light in Accra when the officer attempted arresting him for stealing someone's mobile phone, has been slapped with a ten-year jail term by an Accra Circuit Court.

The accused person, Odartey Lamptey, who is facing four counts of conspiracy, stealing, and causing harm at the court presided over by Justice Kwadwo Owusu, was convicted on his own plea after he pleaded guilty to the charge of causing harm while pleading not guilty to the remaining charges.

Justice Owusu, in sentencing the accused, noted that the way he pulled out the cutlass from his trousers and inflicted several wounds on the policeman showed how dangerous he was, therefore he should serve that sentence to serve as deterrent to others.

The judge subsequently ordered that the cutlass he used should be destroyed.

The case has been adjourned to June 19, 2008 for continuation on his not guilty plea.

Chief Inspector Majorie Otebil, presenting the facts, stated that the complainant is a policeman stationed at the Neoplan Police Post whilst the accused is an alleged sculptor, resident at Wato, Accra.

She said due to frequent reports of snatching of bags and mobile phones with cutlasses from members of the general public at Kwame Nkrumah Circle, the police alerted informants in the area to be on the look-out for perpetrators of such crimes.

On May 13, 2008, the Police had information that those who have been committing such crimes had come to the Odawna Traffic Light, near the Pedestrian Shopping Mall as usual to do business.

As a result of that, the complainant and three others from the police post went to the said traffic light on observation duty and when they got to the scene, the accused and an accomplice were pointed out to him by the informants but when the two saw the police they started walking away.

The complainant, in an attempt to stop the accused from escaping, got hold of him but he pulled a machete and inflicted a deep cut on his head.

However, the accused was overpowered and arrested with the machete. His accomplice, one Rahama managed to escape. When the accused was searched, a Motorola C123 and Sony Ericsson phones were retrieved.

According to the prosecution, investigation showed that the mobile phones were snatched by the accused and his accomplice from a witness in the case and another person yet to be identified, at the Kaneshie Mpramprom Traffic Light before they proceeded to Kwame Nkrumah Circle.

The accused admitted the offence but failed to assist the police to
arrest his accomplice.

By Mary Anane