Regional Minister and his abuser to settle matter out-of-court

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, is accused of being insulted and slapped by a pensioner in a criminal case that would be resolved out of court.

Since the matter was brought before the Circuit Court in December 2023, there have been a number of changes.

Nii Odoi Kwao II, also known as Robert Koomson, a 61-year-old retiree, has denied obstructing traffic, threatening to kill someone, hitting a public servant, and engaging in insulting behavior.

Judge Samuel Bright Acquah subsequently requested that the case be reopened on September 26, 2023, so that the Court may decide on the appropriate course of action.

The complainant in this matter is a police officer stationed at VVIP assigned to the Greater Accra Regional Minister as his dispatch rider and a resident of Madina, according to prior testimony by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Evans Kese before the court.

The accused, Mr. Koomson, is a retired computer programmer who also resides in Osu, Accra. On December 8, 2022, at around 13:10, Accra Regional Minister Henry Quartey and his security detail were at Osu.

The Regional Minister and other road users were unable to access a part of the road at Osu because the accused had blocked it with his Kia Bongo, which had the registration number GM129-17, according to the DSP.

According to the prosecution, the complainant signaled to the accused to move his car out of the way so that the Regional Minister and other drivers could pass, but the accused refused, saying that no one would be able to use the road until he had done what he was doing.

The Regional Minister reportedly stepped out of his car to ask the accused to move his car off the road after the accused’s actions caused a significant traffic bottleneck on that section of the route, but the accused refused.

The Regional Minister approached the accused but was violently repelled and threatened to murder the Regional Minister if he inched closer, according to the prosecution.

Unhappy with his actions, the accused insulted the regional minister by saying that he was a crook who had stolen public funds but was still at large, according to DSP Kesse.

He said that after locking the car and keeping the ignition key in his pocket, the accused subsequently abandoned his Kia Bongo in the middle of the road. The accused then allegedly charged at the regional minister and smacked him, according to DSP Kesse.

He said that the regional minister’s security team quickly apprehended the accused and turned him over to the regional CID/Accra.

In his cautious statement, the accused individual confessed the crime throughout the inquiry. Later, he was charged.