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06.06.2006 Crime & Punishment

Farmer Jailed For Illegal Imprisonment

06.06.2006 LISTEN
By Graphic

An Obuasi farmer, who locked up an environmental health officer for issuing a summons writ against him, had been sentenced to a fine of ¢3 million by the Obuasi Circuit Court.

The accused, Ibrahim Dauda, will go to jail for 24 months in hard labour if he fails to pay the fine.

Dauda pleaded guilty to a charge of "assault by imprisonment, contrary to Section 85 sub-section C of Act 29/60. court presided over by Mr Justice E. A Asante, Detective Chief Inspector Gibsy Daniel Owusu said the complainant, Thomas Dzodzodzi, worked with the Obuasi Municipal Assembly as an environmental health officer, while the accused was a farmer and lived at Aboagyekrom (a suburb of Obuasi) with his parents.

On may 5, 2006, Mr Dzodzodzi, who was on normal rounds as health officer, entered a house at Aboagyekrom at about 11:00 a.m. and in the course of his inspection, he found filth and drew Duada's attention to it.

Dauda could not offer any tangible explanation for the filth in the house.

Consequently, Mr Owusu said the health officer issued summons to Dauda to be given to the landlady. However, Dauda in anger, went to lock up the main gate to the house.

When the health officer demanded an explanation for the action, Dauda refused to answer and also refused to open the door for over an hour.

He said the health officer later called in the Obuasi Central Police who came before Dauda opened the gate.
He was, therefore, arrested and after investigations charged with the offence of illegal imprinsonment.

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