Michael Oppong, a 51-year-old ‘trotro’ driver, has been remanded in police custody by the Ashaiman Circuit Court, for stabbing a passenger with a knife over additional 50 pesewas lorry fare.
The victim, Ketogloh Mawunyegah Edoh, has been treated for his wounds and discharged from the hospital to await further treatment.
The plea of Oppong, who was charged with causing harm, was not taken and was remanded by the court, presided over by Mr Simon Gaga, to reappear on March 25.
However, the court will wait for the outcome of a surgery to be conducted on the victim, as well as remove an object identified by medics in the stabbed area, to ascertain severity of the harm caused to victim.
Police Chief Inspector Joyce Nyarko, prosecuting, said the complainant in the case was Dziedzorm Edoh, the wife of the victim.
The prosecution said complainant claimed that the victim alighted from Oppong’s vehicle at Global, a suburb of the Tema West Municipality, after joining it at Adjei-Kojo.
According to the prosecution, a misunderstanding ensued between the victim and accused over a 50 pesewas balance, which accused demanded from the victim after she offered to pay GH¢4.50 pesewas instead of GH¢5.00.
Chief Insp Nyarko said the victim and driver quarreled, and in the process, the driver, stabbed victim in the back with a knife.
The court heard that onlookers assisted to disarm accused of the knife, and rushed the victim to the New Crystal Hospital.
Chief Insp Nyarko said someone alerted the complainant about the incident, who together with others, handed over the accused to the police at Kanewu.
The prosecution said the
victim was issued with a police medical report form, which she (victim) returned to the police after she was discharged from the hospital.
Chief Insp Nyarko said a medical report indicates that there was an object in the wound that needed further treatment through surgery. —GNA