Pragya rider who knocked teacher and harmed soldier convicted

The Asante Bekwai Circuit Court has convicted a tricycle rider (Pragya), Christian Kpornyo, who knocked down a female teacher and caused harm to a soldier who intervened.

The Court, however, deferred the sentence to March 7, 2024, to allow the family of the errant driver to reach out to the victims on their medical treatment settlement.

Kpornyo is facing charges of riding without a license, dangerous riding, negligently causing harm, and failure to attend to the injured.

Kpornyo admitted riding without a license and negligently causing harm to Charlotte Okyere and Private Kofi Takyi; as a result, he was convicted on his plea.

However, he denied riding dangerously. He said he was guilty of his failure to attend to the injured persons.

Police Chief Inspector David Amofa told the Court presided over by Isaac Apeatu that on February 9, 2024, at about 0930 hours, Kpornyo was in charge of his tricycle at Senfi with the registration number M-21 AS2215 when he rode dangerously, hitting Charlotte.

He said Kpornyo, after hitting and running, was given a chase by two soldiers: Kofi Takyi and Dominic Ofori.

They arrested him and asked him to send the tricycle to the Senfi Police Station but he refused; hence, they joined him in the pragya to make sure he sent the tricycle to the police station.

Chief Inspector Amofa said Kpornyo, the accused person, then started riding towards Dominase; as a result, Ofori got down, leaving Private Takyi in the pragya.

Kpornyo, the court heard, told Takyi that he would send him to Dominase to teach him a lesson but he later fell from the tricycle when the rider drove in a zigzag manner.

The prosecution said Private Takyi got head and body injuries as he became unconscious.

All this while, Ofori was still running after him until he intercepted him at a section of the road and he asked of his colleague, but Kpornyo could not tell him his whereabouts.

Police said after a search, Ofori found Takyi unconscious with multiple injuries. He was rushed to the Dominase Hospital, where he was admitted and treated for two weeks.

Charlotte was also treated and discharged.

Chief Inspector Amofa said a formal complaint was lodged with the police, leading to Kpornyo’s arrest.