A Nigerian chief resident in Ghana, Eze Samuel Ekezie, who was arraigned and charged with threat of death and discharging firearms without authority, has been acquitted and discharged at the Accra Circuit Court.
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Accra Court Frees Nigerian Chief
The presiding judge, Mr Francis Obiri, said there was no evidence that the accused threatened anyone or fired any gun on the day in question.
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“I find him innocent on both counts and proceed to acquit and discharge him on counts one and two,” Mr Obiri ruled.
The judge also said that throughout the case, the prosecution had relied heavily on a video footage that had been tendered in evidence.
“I have watched the said video over and over again. The video captured the scene and also captured both the accused and the complainant. It does not appear to me that it was the accused who was holding the weapon.
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“It appears to me a photo shop was inserted or added to the video recording. I did not see the accused ever threatening or firing any gun in the video,” he said.
Mr Ekezie had pleaded not guilty to the charges when he was arraigned and was granted bail in the sum of GH¢20,000, with four sureties who were all Ghanaians.
The prosecution had told the court that the complainant, Eze Geoffrey Makwugwo, was a businessman resident at North Kaneshie in Accra, while Ekezie was a traditional ruler and lived at Dansoman.
It said on March 23, 2014, a Nigerian businessman, Chief Agbawodikizu Aaron, who was a witness in the case, organised a naming ceremony at Patase Gardens at the Mallam Junction which attracted many Nigerians living in Accra.
When the dignitaries were about to be introduced at the ceremony, Eze Ekezie allegedly took the microphone from the Master of Ceremonies and ordered the complainant to leave the ceremony, else he (Ekezie) would kill him with a gun.
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According to the prosecution, Ekezie immediately rushed to his car and pulled out a pump action gun and started firing indiscriminately.
“The complainant, sensing danger and realising that his life was being threatened, immediately took to his heels and reported the case to the police,” the prosecution added.
Source: Graphic Online
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