A galamsey operator at Bompieso in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality has been sentenced to one year imprisonment with hard labour by the Tarkwa District Court One for slashing a student twice on the back with a blade. 

The convict, Bismark Owusu, was charged with causing unlawful harm and pleaded guilty to the offence. 

Prosecuting, Inspector of Police Patrick Essien told the court, presided over by Charles Owusu Nsiah, that the complainant, Bright Akwasi Aboagye, was a student residing at Bompieso. 

On October 7, at about 12:00 noon, the complainant was riding a tricycle at Bompieso with one Ishmael on board when he suddenly saw a group of illegal miners holding a young man, accusing him of stealing gold-bearing stones. 

Inspector Essien said Owusu was among the group and that the suspected thief was being beaten when the complainant intervened and struck one of the attackers to stop the assault. 

The prosecutor said the illegal miners, unhappy with the complainant’s intervention, warned him to leave the scene. 

According to the prosecution, Owusu also took offence at the complainant’s conduct and picked a fight with him and Ishmael, but they were separated, and each went their separate ways. 

Later that same day, the complainant and Ishmael were at a game centre when Owusu confronted them and warned that the earlier confrontation was not over. 

Inspector Essien told the court that Owusu later attacked the complainant, slashing him twice on the back with a blade before fleeing when the victim started bleeding. 

He said residents who rushed to the scene sent the complainant to the Bompieso Clinic for medical treatment, after which he reported the incident to the police. 

Owusu was arrested the same day and handed over to the police for prosecution.