Man sings for mercy at Accra Circuit Court, acquitted and discharged

Drama unfolded at an Accra Circuit Court when an accused individual, Francis Lamptey, chose to sing for the court before the final judgment in his case.

Lamptey, a laborer, performed two self-composed songs, pleading for mercy. One of the songs featured lyrics like, “Court two judge, grant me justice, court judge grant me freedom...”

After the judgment was delivered, Lamptey once again sang two songs for the courtroom.

Charged with causing harm, Lamptey had entered a plea of not guilty. At the conclusion of the trial, however, the presiding judge, Mr. Isaac Addo, acquitted and discharged him of the charge.

Upon hearing the verdict, Lamptey bowed deeply, expressing his gratitude by saying, “God bless you, my Lord, thank you, my Lord.” The judge, in turn, advised him to exercise caution in his future actions.

In his ruling, Mr. Addo pointed out that the prosecution had relied solely on the testimony of the case investigator and did not present any additional witnesses. Meanwhile, although the accused testified in his own defense, he also refrained from calling any witnesses.

The court highlighted that the complainant, who was the alleged victim, failed to appear and testify. This absence created reasonable doubt about the prosecution’s case, ultimately leading to Lamptey’s acquittal.

The incident stemmed from allegations that Lamptey had caused harm to Ayuba Shaibu by stabbing him in the left cheek during a heated argument at Lashibi Shalom Spot in Tema West Municipality on August 25, 2024.