Tema Circuit Court ‘B’ has sentenced Abdulai Sanusi, a 27-year-old scrap dealer and herbal medicine peddler from Niger, to three years of hard labor imprisonment for stabbing security guard Vincent Akpotaka with scissors.
The court, presided over by Klorkor Okai-Mills, handed down the sentence after Sanusi pleaded guilty to causing harm to Akpotaka’s left rib and back.
According to Inspector Jacob Kuubal, the prosecutor presenting the case, Akpotaka, a security guard at Sentuo Oil Refinery in the Tema Industrial Area, had bought some of Sanusi’s medicine valued at Gh₵ 50.00 on credit in January 2024, with the promise of payment later.
On February 12, 2024, around 18:30 hours, Sanusi visited Akpotaka at his residence on the refinery premises to demand payment.
However, Akpotaka explained that he couldn’t pay immediately as his money was stored in his mobile money wallet and the nearby agents had already closed for the day.
As a result, a confrontation ensued between the two, escalating into a physical altercation.
During the scuffle, Sanusi drew out a concealed pair of scissors and stabbed Akpotaka multiple times under his left rib and on his back, causing severe lacerations.
Upon witnessing the victim’s profuse bleeding from the deep wounds, Sanusi fled the scene.
However, he was pursued and apprehended by witnesses, leading to his arrest and subsequent handover to the Lube Oil Police Station, where he received a caution.
Akpotaka was issued a police medical report advising him to seek treatment at a government hospital.
Subsequently, on February 18, 2024, he underwent surgery at Tema General Hospital for his injuries, which included visible omentum tissue and perforated stomach lining, as confirmed by Dr. Iddi Sumaili during a medical examination on February 14, 2024.
The surgery revealed internal bleeding between the abdominal and pelvic cavities, indicating the severity of Akpotaka’s injuries.
Due to his inability to cover the medical expenses, he was detained at the hospital’s social welfare department until kind-hearted individuals contributed to settle his bills, enabling his discharge from the hospital.