A businessman, Charles Otoo, who was allegedly shot after honoring an invitation from his ex-girlfriend has told the Circuit Court in Accra that the Lebanese owners of the Alternative Apartment had allegedly planned to kill him.
Charles Otoo, the victim, also told the court that, during the attack, they dragged him and locked him up in a dark room and overheard them saying they would kill him.
Kelvin Saoud, 29, and his father Simon Anthony Saoud, 59, have been charged together for conspiracy to cause harm, while Kelvin Saoud was separately charged for causing harm and discharging a firearm without lawful authority. They have both pleaded not guilty to their respective charges and have been granted bail.
Testifying in court when the trial started before the Circuit Court presided over by Her Honour Mrs Ellen Ofei-Aryeh, Charles Otoo, who is the first prosecution witness, told the court in his evidence in chief that, the screaming by a certain woman and his former girlfriend caused them to move him out.
The witness also told the court that the accused persons then called one Kennedy Atongo who is their employee to drive him out of their compound and ordered him to drive his car out of the place.
The first Prosecution witness told the court that, while walking towards his car to drive out, Kelvin Saoud crossed him and started using derogatory words on him which led to another confusion.
He told the court that, in the process, Anthony Saoud made a statement in a certain unfamiliar language to him, and that caused Kelvin Saoud (1st Accused) to move quickly at distance from him, and Anthony Saoud (2nd Accused) who was wielding a gun fired and caused harm to his right ankle.
He told the court that he fell immediately and started bleeding and a lot of people came around but Anthony Saoud after shooting at him, told the people to leave him to die.
To this end, he told the court that he was convinced that the accused persons planned together to kill him and the harm caused to him has negatively affected his walking and his normal way of living.
Unforgettable December 26
Narrating his ordeal to the court, Charles Otoo, told the court that, December 26, 2021, he was invited by his former girlfriend called Tatiana Elovskaia who is a tenant of the accused persons.
He told the court that he arrived at the premises but calls made to her ex-girlfriend weren’t successful, and that he contacted one Security Officer who volunteered to lead him to Tatiana’s apartment on the 4th floor.
The victim told the court that they boarded an escalator and on reaching the 2nd floor, the escalator stopped for others to join and there, he saw Tatiana, so the officer left and with Tatiana, they continued to the 4th floor.
According to him, on the 4th floor, Tatiana tried to open the door to her room but the key was stuck in the lock making it difficult for her to open it.
He told the court that they became confused and started discussing how they could get access to the room.
Confusion
He told the court that, in a while, one Serge Osta, a neighbour to Tatiana whom he had no knowledge of by then came around and started harshly asking questions. His actions brought up a struggle between them.
Mr. Charles Otoo told the court that, in a short space of time, the accused persons together with others approached the scene and he realized that two of them were wielding guns, which he became afraid for his life.
He told the court in his witness statement that they pointed the guns at him and started beating him up and he fell in the process.
He told the court that, one Kennedy Atongo drove my car and with the assistance of Tatiana, I was taken to 37 Military Hospital for treatment and at the hospital, the Police came and took his registered pump action from his car and a police medical form was issued to him for a doctor’s medical examination and report.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Murtala Inusah
