‘I was not allowed to talk in court’ – ‘By-day worker’ cries

Akua Afriyie, a single mother of four is lamenting for hurriedly been thrown into jail without fair hearing.

According to her, she was not granted an opportunity in court to tell her side of the story and was swiftly thrown behind bars.

Narrating her ordeal in an interview with crimecheckghana, Akua Afriyie said ‘I worked as a by-day worker for one ‘Korean burger ‘on his farm at Mankranso in the Ashanti Region but for several months the man refused to pay me even though we both agreed on a GHC200 monthly salary”

According to her, she persisted on taking her 6-months’ salary arrears but burger refused to pay and began using abusive words on her.

Explaining further, she said “ I am the bread winner of my family, my children, myself and mother all depend on that GHC200,so you can imagine how things were when I wasn’t paid for 6months” she said amid tears.

“ So one day I went to burger demanding for my money and he slapped me, saying he does not have any money for me and he pushed me onto the floor, so in retaliation,  I picked up  a stone to throw at him but unfortunately the stone went straight into his car windscreen and he got me arrested” she narrated.

Akua Afriyie said, she was arraigned before court almost immediately after her arrest and before she could realize, she was thrown into jail.

“At the court, the judge did not allow me to talk, at least to tell my side of the story and to explain how I was angered to throw the stone and how it unintentionally   went into the windscreen” adding that the court slapped a GHC300 bail and GHC1000 fine to replace the windscreen or I go to jail for 3months, I could not pay so I was thrown here” she said amid tears.

Crimecheckghana through one of its flagship project ‘petty offenders project’ paid her fine and got her released.

Crimecheckfoundation is therefore pleading with the general public to help set Akua Afriyie up in business as she obviously cannot go back to weeding on people’s farm for survival.