Jihad Chaaban, the Lebanese supervisor of the Abelenkpe branch of Marwako Fast Foods, who splashed pepper paste on the face of a Ghanaian worker, Evelyn Boakye, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of assault, offensive conduct and causing harm.
His lawyers on Wednesday called on the Abeka magistrate court hearing the matter to grant him bail but the plea was rejected. He is set to reappear in court on March 16, 2017.
The Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, Otiko Afisa Djaba, has sworn to “seriously” take up the matter of employee assault at the Ablenkpe branch of Marwako Fast Foods.
The Minister’s pledge comes on the back of disclosure by the victim of the abuse, Evelyn Boakye that she wants nothing but justice.
Background
The 25-year-old was inhumanely treated by her supervisor, Jihad Chaaban at the Ablenkpe branch of the food company. According to her, Chaaban shoved her face into hot pepper paste and preventing her other colleagues from coming to rescue her.
Narrating her ordeal, the victim told the Daily Graphic that although she had been employed to work in the Rice Department, she was occasionally asked to help in other departments where more hands were needed, however, on Sunday, February 26, 2017, she was asked to help in the Full Chicken Department, where she was instructed to blend fresh pepper for the seasoning of the chicken.
Commenting on the abusive treatment meted to Ms Boakye Tuesday in a recent interview, Ms Djaba said: “After 60 years of independence, nobody’s right should be infringed upon and as the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, that message is at the core of our vision and what we have to do for Ghanaians and so I’m taking this matter seriously.
“I will meet the management of Marwako, I’ll meet the victim and then we will have discussion with the Ministry of Employment and TUC and other organisations that are owned by foreigners and even Ghanaian employers. We must respect each other; I think that is at the bottom of what is going on. It is the lack of respect, we need to respect our employees because we cannot do what they do.”
The restaurant has since condemned Chaaban’s act as the police takes up the issue
