Marwako assault: Minister orders probe by Labour Department

The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, has tasked the Labour Department to conduct investigations into the assault case at Marwako Fast Foods.

The Minister has given the Labour Department a week to conclude the investigations.

The Minister visited the Abelemkpe branch of Marwako Fast Foods in Accra, today [Tuesday], after the alleged assault on one Evelyn Boakye.

The Employment Minister was at the restaurant together with the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba.

Her Lebanese supervisor is alleged to have forced her face into blended pepper.

Following public outrage and subsequent arrest of the suspect, Mr. Baffour Awuah said the Labour Department’s investigation would run alongside the Police investigation.

“We will respect the laws of this country and we will allow the police to do the criminal aspect of the case, but the labour issues in there will be investigated by the labour department of our sector. It is not just about the criminality, but also labour issues; worker employee associations.”

The Lebanese supervisor at the centre of the assault, Jihad Chaaban, has formally been charged with assault by the Police.

Jihad Chaaban
He was processed for court earlier on Tuesday, to enable the police present the facts of the case, but the process was deferred because the Abeka Magistrate Court did not sit. He is currently on bail.

Mr. Baffour Awuah added that, the outcome of the investigation will determine the ministry's course of action

“We will at this stage not conclude as to whether the case is over or not. For us, it has just even begun because we are just going to do the investigation,” the Minster said.

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By: Zoe Abu-Baidoo/citifmonline.com/Ghana