By: Kekeli K. Blamey
A 24-year-old labourer, Benjamin Kwabena Fiagbodze, has been sentenced to five years in prison by an Accra Circuit Court for inflicting cutlass wounds on the head of a businessman, Laryea Larkwei, at Tse Addo in Accra.
Despite pleading not guilty to the charge of causing harm, the court, presided over by Mr. Isaac Addo, found Fiagbodze guilty after a trial. During the trial, Fiagbodze admitted that his intent was to kill Larkwei, not just injure him.
According to the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer, Larkwei hired a caretaker, Osei Yaw, to oversee his five-bedroom uncompleted building at Tse Addo in 2020.
The caretaker brought Fiagbodze to live with him at the site.
On September 4, 2024, Larkwei visited the site and asked Fiagbodze to grind pepper for him.
However, while Larkwei was taking his meal, Fiagbodze attacked him with a cutlass, inflicting wounds on his scalp. Larkwei sustained a deep cut to his forehead and bled profusely.
Larkwei reported the incident to the police, who issued him a medical form to seek treatment.
After receiving medical attention, Larkwei submitted a medical report, which was endorsed by a medical officer at LEKMA Hospital.
Fiagbodze was apprehended and admitted to the offense in his caution statement to the police. The police also recovered the cutlass used in the attack from the crime scene.
