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30.06.2011 Politics

Chief In Court

By Daily Guide
CANED! Teacher Francis Carter showing the bruises on his back. Inset: CHARGED! Nana Akwasi Acheampong at court yesterdayCANED! Teacher Francis Carter showing the bruises on his back. Inset: CHARGED! Nana Akwasi Acheampong at court yesterday
30.06.2011 LISTEN

NANA AKWASI Acheampong III, the Ejisu Beseasehene who allegedly caned a French teacher, Francis Carter, at his palace last Saturday, has been granted police enquiry bail by the KMA Circuit Court in Kumasi.

The court upheld the accused person's plea for bail with one surety in the sum of GH¢50,000. He is to reappear in court on July 14.

The chief was also ordered by the court to report to the police on each working day to assist them in their investigations until the next court date.

The traditional leader allegedly disregarded lawful administration of justice by tying the teacher and caning him at his back for allegedly smoking Indian hemp.

He was standing trial for assault and threat of death in a parked court presided over by William Boampong yesterday afternoon.

The court did not take the chief's plea.
The prosecutor, after narrating the facts of the case, had suggested the chief's incarceration to enable him to assist in investigations.

But lawyers for the chief, Kodua and William Kusi pleaded with the court to grant him bail since putting him in prison could have adverse effects on the Ejisu Besease community.

Nana Acheampong was wearing a club t-shirt with a pair of black trousers when he arrived at the court premises with several people believed to be his family members.

On his part, Mr. Carter was in court with his colleagues.

When DAILY GUIDE visited Ejisu Besease MA JHS yesterday afternoon, the entire place was as quiet as a ghost town as the teaching staff had gone to the court premises.

All attempts by the chief to settle the matter out of court, including appealing to his Overlord, the Ejisuhene to intervene, proved futile, said Mr. Francis Carter.

He said he had taken that rigid stance of taking the matter to court because 'the chief lied about me when the matter was brought before the Ejisuhene for amicable settlement.'

Mr. Carter said the chief also denied 'threatening to cut my head to celebrate the Akwasidae festival which was to be held the following day at his palace.'

The teacher noted that 'the traditional leader also refuted that he flogged me and also stepped on me at his palace last Saturday right in the presence of many people.'

Mr. Carter said had the Besease chief admitted his wrong and begged for forgiveness, 'I would have willingly accepted his plea and allowed sleeping dogs to lie.

'I would want the matter to be sent to court so that whoever is found culpable would be sternly dealt with.'

The French teacher was with some visiting friends at a drinking spot drinking last Saturday when a certain man who is said to be close to the chief of the area appeared at the scene.

The man suddenly said he could smell Indian hemp in the area so he accused the teacher and his friends of smoking 'wee'.

The man conducted a thorough search on the teacher and his friends to find the 'wee.'

Though he did not find the Indian hemp on them, the said man ordered them to the chief's palace on allegations that the teacher was smoking 'wee.'

Nana Acheampong, who was said to be extremely angry, tied the teacher and caned him.

Since the incident, teachers in Ejisu Besease, in solidarity with their beaten colleague, have decided to stay away from the classroom.

The French teacher, an ex-soldier, told DAILY GUIDE that he had been teaching at the school for the past seven years 'and nobody has ever accused me of smoking before since I came here.'

Recounting what happened at the chief's palace after he was sent there, Mr. Carter said the chief ordered him to kneel down, which he did.

'The chief tied me to the grounds, removed my shirt and flogged me with four canes put together.'

When Mr. Carter was finally freed, several people in the area had gathered at the forecourt of the palace, ostensibly to console him.

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi

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