Mawarko trial: Judge was religiously biased – Amin Lamptey

Management of Mawarko has accused Justice Victoria Ghansah of religious bias in her judgment which handed a nine-month jail term to their staff Jihad Chabaan on Wednesday, August 2.

Jihad, who is a supervisor at the Abelenkpe branch of the eatery, had been in court since March for dipping the face of a worker Evelyn Boakye in blended pepper.

He was charged with offensive conduct, assault and causing harm.

Speaking to Starr News about the judgment, spokesperson for Mawarko Mohammed Amin Lampety said the judgment appeared to have been informed by the judge’s disposition towards Islam.

“ Jihad was very remorseful throughout the trial that is why he repeatedly kept saying the word ‘Insha Allah’ and then the judge interrupted our lawyer and said he shouldn’t mention the word Insha Allah here because anytime somebody mentions that word, the next thing is bombing, killing and shooting.

“If you’re a Muslim and you go to court and the judge who is expected to know better says this; it’s amazing. And she continues by saying ‘don’t bring religion here if you bring it here it will be a different issue’…Insha Allah simply means ‘God willing’. Clearly, the judge was racist, she has exhibited that element of her. Ghana is a country that embraces all religions so why must a judge in delivering her judgment say this in court. All the Muslims who came there clearly said that ‘so your judgment went that way because the guy is a Muslim?” he recounted.

Starr News’ Court correspondent Wilberforce Asare confirms the judge was infuriated when Chabaan used the word in court during the trial.

Background
Evelyn Boakye, the complainant, had dragged Jihad, 26, before the court for assault.

He was accused of dipping the head of Evelyn into blended pepper on February 26, 2017.

According to the prosecution, Jihad offensively conducted himself when he angrily called the complainant a “prostitute.”