The policeman who allegedly beat up a woman at the Shiashie branch of Midland Savings and Loans Limited, Lance Corporal Frederick Amanor Godzi, aka Skalla, has been discharged by the Accra Circuit Court.
Godzi was charged with assault for allegedly beating Ms Patience Osafo, a customer of Midland, on its premises on July 19, 2018, when she went there to withdraw her money.
Also set free by the court are the three officials of Midland who were standing trial for allegedly aiding Godzi to assault Ms Osafo.
They are Jocelyn Kukua-Fakah, the Operations Manager, Shirley Portia Anaman, Customer Service Officer, and Prince Ayensu, a driver.
Checks by the Daily Graphic revealed that the four accused were discharged by the court, presided over by Ms Cecilia Dapaah Mireku, in December 2018. The court discharged the accused due to the lack of interest in the trial by Ms Osafo.
She is said to have failed to appear before the court to testify. She also failed to avail herself to help the police with investigations.
Godzi was captured in a video that subsequently went viral assaulting 36-year-old Ms Osafo, who was carrying a baby and had gone to the Shiashie branch of Midland Savings and Loans to withdraw part of her GHS270 savings.
Members of the public expressed outrage over the incident and subsequently the policeman was arrested and interdicted, while investigations into the case began.
Compensation
It is not clear why Ms Osafo showed no interest in the trial, but even before the court discharged L/Corporal Godzi, his counsel had begged the court to allow an out-of-court settlement on the basis that the charge of assault levelled against his client was not a felony but a misdemeanour.
Also, a few days after the incident, Ms Osafo’s lawyers and Midland Savings and Loans reached a compensation agreement.
One of her lawyers, Samson Lardi Anyenini, revealed that the savings and loans company had offered her a generous deal for her ordeal.
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Source: graphic.com.gh
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I think the law permit that the police man can still be rearrested and recharged with the same offence and put before another court for trial. I think he was not cautioned and discharged therefore he can still be arrested, charged and put before another court to answer the charge preferred against him. The Law has no respect for any person.
It is not true that the woman is not interested in pursuing the case. I listened to her lawyer for the civil aspect of the case, Samson Lardi Ayinini. The lady was in Kumasi when she was called impromptu to appear in court in Accra. She was in Kumasi to attend to her sister who was down with stroke. Given the circumstances she could not practically appear in court. The case was then adjourned to a date of which the victim was unware. After this the police clandestinely made several of such appearances in court without informing the victim. So overtime and after several adjournments it appeared the victim was disinterested in the case prompting the judge to rule a nolle prosequi. There is no way the woman has indicated expressed or implied that she is not interested in prosecuting and the brutish officer will find his way back in court. The police also, instead of filing more serious charges like exposing a child to harm and felony of causing harm and threat of death rather chose to charge the officer with a misdemeanor of assault! The whole world saw how the woman was battered!
***barred word*** policeman you were saved by the bell this time go and act stewpidly again