Marwako case: Exchanges in court as accused demands Arabic interpreter

The decision by the Abeka District Court to adjourn the Marwako assault case on Wednesday generated hot exchanges between the relations of Jihad Chaaban the accused restaurant supervisor and Evelyn Boakye the complainant after court proceedings on Wednesday. 

According to the relations of the victim, the request by defence counsel to the court for an Arabic Interpreter was one of the tactics of the accused to delay the trial.
 
Mr Julio De Medieros counsel for the accused however debunked the assertion of the complainant’s relations saying that Jihad could speak fluently in Arabic.
 
Both relations of the accused and complainant exchange unprintable words and Police officers at the court had to step in to calm tempers.
 
Chaaban at Wednesday sitting was expected to open his defence before the District Court but he requested the court to provide him with an Arabic Interpreter.
  
Mr De Medieros had earlier informed the court that his client Chaaban was “more than ready to open his defence’’.
 
According to the defence counsel, Chaaban’s mother tongue was Arabic and “even though he can communicate in English little by little he was comfortable in speaking his language.”
 
Defence counsel submitted that at the Police station he relied on an    Arabic interpreter to write his statements.
 
He, therefore, prayed the court to provide an Arabic Interpreter for the accused persons.
 
The court after listening to defence counsel submission said the court at the moment did not have an Arabic interpreter hence it would have to write to the Judicial Service to provide them one.  
 
It therefore adjourned the matter to May 10 awaiting the provision of an interpreter by the Judicial Service.
 
At the lasting the court presided over by Mrs Victoria A. Ghansah overruled a submission of no case filed on behalf of Chaaban.
 
Chaaban was, therefore, to open his defence in the matter.
 
Chaaban aged 26, is before the Court for allegedly dipping the face of    Ms Evelyn Boakye into a blender full of blended pepper at the Abelenkpe branch of Marwako Restaurant.
 
He has been charged with offensive conduct by calling the victim a prostitute, intentionally and unlawfully causing harm and assault.
 
Chaaban has pleaded not guilty to the charges and he is on bail.
 
On February 28, this year, Chaaban is alleged to have assaulted the victim Ms Boakye for fidgeting with a blender and working slowly.
 
Chaaban, a brother-in-law of the owner of Marwako Restaurant at the Abelemkpe branch allegedly grabbed the neck of the victim angrily and dipped her face into a blender full of blended pepper.

Source: GNA