Okada rider chops off farmer’s hand over misunderstanding

A 21-year-old Okada rider has chopped off one of the hands of Mr Enock Kabutey, a 28-year-old farmer at Amlakpo, in Ada over a misunderstanding on speed riding. Maxwell Tsiani Osabutey, the Okada rider, allegedly severed the left hand of the victim, who had cautioned him and his friends to stop riding their motorcycles with speed through the township to prevent the occurrence of accidents. Mr Moses Teye, an eyewitness, told the Ghana News Agency that, to force the riders to slow down, the victim and his team created a straight, shallow hole across the gravelled road. He said that in retaliation, the Okada rider, together with others, also dug a hole near Kabutey's house to register their displeasure over their attempt to slow their movement. This, the witness said, resulted in an altercation, during which the suspect reportedly attacked a member of the victim's team, who sustained some minor injuries. The GNA further gathered that on the evening of Sunday, June 16, 2024, the victim and his friend attende d a programme at a pub in Kasseh, where they were ambushed by the suspect and his associates, who threatened him. On Monday, June 17, 2024, the suspect allegedly attacked the victim while he was sitting on a bridge at Amlakpo, and during the confrontation, he removed a cutlass from his motorbike and chopped off Kabutey's left hand. The victim was rushed to the Ada East District Hospital for treatment and later transferred to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. The GNA learned that despite efforts to preserve the severed hand in ice for potential reattachment, the lack of an ambulance at the district hospital delayed the transfer to the teaching hospital, resulting in the inability to attach the severed hand. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Joseph Atsu Dzineku, the Ada Divisional Police Commander, confirmed the incident, stating that the suspect has since been arrested to assist with the investigation. ACP Dzineku cautioned the public against taking the law into their own hands, stressing that 'no matter what the issue might be, it is not enough reason to take the law into your own hands.' He also urged them to abstain from hard drugs and alcohol and encouraged them to report any issues to the police rather than seeking revenge. Source: Ghana News Agency