27-year-old sentenced to seven years for pouring acid on former student

The Bekwai Circuit Court has sentenced a 27-year-old houseboy to 84 months’ imprisonment with hard labour for pouring acid on a senior high school leaver at Pakyi No. 2 in the Ashanti Region.

The court also ordered the convict, Ernest Agyei, to pay 500 penalty units, equivalent to GH¢6,000, as compensation to the victim, Benjamin Asante, a former student of Yamfo Anglican Secondary School in the Bono Region.

Agyei denied the offence but was found guilty after a full trial.

In passing sentence, the presiding judge, Mr Isaac Apeatu, rejected Agyei’s claim that the incident was accidental, citing evidence of a prior confrontation between the convict and the victim. The court held that tensions had arisen during a tile-cleaning exercise involving acid, following disagreements among those present.

The prosecution said Agyei showed no remorse and urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, while the convict pleaded for leniency.

Earlier, Chief Inspector Christian Amartey told the court that the incident occurred on December 22, 2024, at Pakyi No. 2, where Agyei was working as a house help.

He said that during the cleaning exercise, the convict had an argument with one Kwadwo Tawiah. When Agyei reported the matter to the complainant, Asante allegedly told him that he did not want to interfere in the issue between him and Tawiah.

According to the prosecution, Agyei became offended and insulted Asante, leading to a heated exchange between the two.

“In the course of the confrontation, Agyei poured acid from a container on Asante,” Chief Inspector Amartey said, adding that the victim was rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, where he was admitted for three months.

Police investigations later led to Agyei’s arrest and subsequent prosecution.