An Abeka District Court has turned down a request by lawyers for Mawarko branch manager Jihad Chabaan, to have the assault case against Mr. Chabaan settled out of Court.
The 26-year-old is facing a charge of assault for thrusting the face of Caterer at the restaurant, Evelyn Boakye, into blended pepper.
Despite pleading not guilty, his lawyers asked the court last Friday to allow the parties settle the matter amicably.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Hanson Armah, opposed the application and the court has today ruled that the hearing of the matter will continue.
Magistrate Victoria Guansah said the case had travelled far and was about concluding.
She said it was in the interest of justice that the court hears from the accused who will be having his turn once prosecution calls their final witness.
She pointed out that since lawyers for the accused claim that the plaintiff reported the case to the police in order to extort money from them, they cannot turn around and request an out of court settlement.
Lawyers for Jihad Chabaan then moved a motion requesting that the court recalls the caterer into the witness box for further cross-examination.
Lawyer Julio De Medeiros said they had monitored some comments the lady had made outside the court room as well in conversations with others which were at variance with what she told the court.
They, therefore, want a second chance to probe further.
Judge Guansah expressed frustration at what she said were attempts by the defence lawyers to delay the case by filing an avalanche of applications.
“No matter what you do, this matter will end,” she told the lawyer.
Chief Inspector Hanson Armah who leads the prosecution opposed the application saying it was a waste of the court’s time since they were present when she gave the testimony and were at liberty to call their witnesses to contradict the caterer’s testimony.
