Trader sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter

Veronica Djoazaa, who runs a bar, was convicted by a seven-member jury after being found responsible for the fatal injury of 48-year-old Anthony Apurum.

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A 40-year-old trader has been sentenced to a decade in prison after a jury found her guilty of manslaughter for causing the death of a public servant.

Veronica Djoazaa, who runs a bar, was convicted by a seven-member jury after being found responsible for the fatal injury of 48-year-old Anthony Apurum.

The incident, which occurred on October 2, 2021, in Zenu, Ashaiman, stemmed from a dispute between Djoazaa and Apurum. During the altercation, Djoazaa hurled an empty Coca-Cola crate, which struck Apurum on the head.

Presiding over the case, Justice Marie-Louise Simmons handed down the sentence following the jury's guilty verdict.

Case Background

According to the prosecution, the deceased, a public servant residing in Zenu, visited Djoazaa’s drinking spot around 7:30 p.m. on the night of the incident. While Apurum was drinking a bottle of Guinness, an argument broke out between him and the accused. In the heat of the moment, Djoazaa threw the crate at Apurum, striking him in the head and causing severe injuries with excessive bleeding.

Apurum later reported the incident to the police and was given a medical form for treatment. He was treated and discharged the same day, later submitting his medical report to authorities. However, his condition worsened on October 8, 2021, leading to his admission at Tema General Hospital, where he eventually passed away.

Medical Findings and Arrest

A postmortem conducted by Dr. Eric Dumfeh on December 12, 2021, determined that Apurum had suffered blunt force head trauma, ruling his death as unnatural.

Following these findings, law enforcement arrested Djoazaa, who later identified and handed over the crate used in the attack as part of police investigations.

With the evidence presented, the court found Djoazaa guilty, resulting in her 10-year sentence.