A Chinese, XueHui, a manager of Poly Changda Engineering Company in Takoradi, was charged with attempted murder, when he first appeared before the Sekondi Magistrate Courton Monday.
Xue was charged with the offence after he used a flip knife to slash the neck of a Ghanaian concrete mixture operator, Isaac Boateng, at Kwekuma, near Sekondi, last Wednesday.
His plea was not taken and he was remanded in police custody, to re-appear in court on October 11, 2022 for the commencement of the committal proceedings.
Counsel for the accused, Akpene Darko Cobbinah, pleaded with the court to grant his client bail, arguing that all offences were bailable and that his client would be available in court at the adjourned date.
He also told the court that Poly Changda Engineering was a reputable company,
but the court, presided over by Nana Abena Asor, refused to grant the accused bail.
Briefing the court, Superintendent Stephen Billy Addom said in August, 2022, Xue reported the behaviour of Boateng to his foreman, one Wisdom Akpalu, regarding Boateng's refusal to adhere to safety protocols at work and his(Xue's) intention to dismiss him.
On September 27, 2022, Boateng went to work at Kweikuma, suburb of Sekondi, at about 7a.m. and closed at 3p.m, instead of 5p.m, without any permission from Xue and Boateng's foreman.
The next day, while Boateng was taking his lunch at the site after working for some time, Xue confronted him as to why he closed from work at 3p.m. the previous day.
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This, Supt. Addom told the court, resulted in exchange of words and so Xue told Boateng that he had dismissed him from the work.
Boateng became annoyed, gathered his working gear and went to Xue to pay him off.
"This led to a hot argument between the two parties. Accused left complainant and went into his office after he intimated to the complainant he had sent his time sheet to their main office at the Airforce Base, Takoradi for the complainant to be paid," the prosecutor said.
Supt. Addom said further that the Boateng stood in front of Xue's personal office demanding his salary, and that without any provocation, Xue came out of his office, wielding a flip knife which he used to slash Boateng's neck.
Boateng sustained a deep cut with blood oozing from his neck and he reported the case to the police at Adiembra, near Sekondi.
The police issued a medical report form to the complainant to attend hospital for treatment.
On September 29, 2022, the accused person also reported to the police at Adiembra, together with an interpreter, Job Issifu.
According to Supt. Addom, Xuewas interrogated and cautioned while the flip knife was retrieved from him by the police for evidential purposes.
Meanwhile, the case is still under investigations, he added.
