Two lawyers on Monday clashed over the identity of a security man testifying in the Marwako Restaurant assault case at the Abeka District Court.
The security man, a third prosecution witness who gave his full name to the court as Yaw Asiedu informed the court in his evidence in chief that he was the one who assisted the victim Evelyn Boakye in washing the pepper off her face.
However, when defence counsel, Augustine Asarfo Adjei, challenged him under cross-examination that it was one Daniel a security man at the Restaurant who assisted the victim and not him (Asiedu). Asiedu retorted that he was also known as Daniel.
When Mr Adjei challenged him to produce documents to show that he was also known as Daniel, the witness said he had no Identity card.
Francis Xavier Sosu, the lawyer for the alleged abused lady was insistent that the defence counsel to furnish the court with documents indicating the witness was not called Daniel.
According to Mr Sosu, the defence ought to prove to the court that witness was not known as Daniel adding “we cannot do their case for them”.
When the court asked Asiedu if he could get documents over his identity he said his parents could attest to his name adding; “if you go to the school I attended you will know that I was called Daniel Yaw Asiedu”.
When asked by the court over how he was employed, the witness told the court that Marwako Restaurant employed him.
The court, however, discharged Asiedu after Defence Counsel had subjected him to cross-examination.
Answering questions administered by defence, Asiedu maintained that he was the one who assisted the victim to wash off the blended pepper on victim’s face. He disagreed with defence counsel that what was on the victim’s face was blended onion.
“I saw pepper on her face and not onions. Whilst I assisted her, the victim cried out louder,” Asiedu told the court.
Asiedu admitted that he was not present when the Jihad Chaaban, the accused person dipped the victim face into the blended pepper.
According to him, he was not present when the incident happened and he only came into contact with the victim after the incident.
He further maintained that he was on duty at the Abelemkpe branch of Marwako Restaurant on February 26, this year, when the incident occurred.
Earlier, Yaw Asiedu who was led in evidence by Chief Inspector H. A. Hanson on the day of the incident, he assisted the victim, Ms Boakye to wash the blended pepper off her face.
According to him whilst on duty, at about 16:00 hours seated at the entrance of the gents dressing room he saw the victim heading towards the females dressing room.
“I approached the victim and she narrated her ordeal to me. I did not see the accused person splashing the blended pepper into the face of the victim,” he said.
Chaaban aged 26, is before the Court for allegedly dipping the face of Ms Boakye into a blender of blended pepper at the Abelemkpe branch of Marwako Restaurant.
Chaaban was charged with offensive conduct by calling the victim a prostitute, intentionally and unlawfully causing harm and assault.
Chaaban has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
He was on February 28, this year, alleged to have assaulted the victim Evelyn Boakye for fidgeting with a blender and working slowly.
Chaaban, a brother –in-law of the owner of Marwako Restaurant at the Abelemkpe branch allegedly grabbed the neck of the victim angrily and dipped her face into a blender of blended pepper.
Hearing continues on April 6 before the court presided over by Victoria Ghansah
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