An Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday jailed a sculptor 10 years with hard labour for inflicting cutlass wounds on a Policeman for arresting him. Odartey Lamptey, who is being held on two counts of stealing, conspiring with one other person now at large to steal two mobile phones and causing harm pleaded not guilty. He however, changed his plea on the charge of causing harm and the court, presided over Mr. Justice Kwadwo Owusu convicted him accordingly. Handing over the sentence, the court said the way the accused pulled out a cutlass from his trousers and inflicted severe wounds on the policeman showed how dangerous he was and ordered that the machete be destroyed. Lamptey is also expected to reappear on June 19 to battle out the remaining charges proferred against him. His accomplice, known as Rahama is however at large. Prosecution said the complainant is a Policeman stationed at Neoplan Police Post in Accra. Due to rampant reports of snatching of bags and mobile phones at cutlass point from the public at Kwame Nkrumah Circle, the police decided to take measures to arrest the situation. On May 13, this year, the Neoplan Police Post was informed that the criminals had moved to Odawna Traffic Light near the Pedestrian Shopping Mall and when the policeman and his three colleagues went to the spot the accused and his accomplices were pointed out to the police by some informants. When the two saw the police, they started walking away but the police got hold of them and Owusu pulled a machete and inflicted severe cut on the policeman’s head. The accused was overpowered and arrested with the machete. His accomplice, one Rahama escaped. When the accused was searched, a Motorola C123 and Sony Ericsson mobile phones were retrieved from him and investigations showed that the mobile phones were snatched from a witness in the case and another yet to be identified at Kaneshie Mpramprom Traffic Light before coming to Kwame Nkrumah circle. The accused admitted the offence but failed to assist the police to arrest his accomplice. Source: GNA