Woman In Court For Threatening Driver

A fashion designer, who threatened to kill a taxi driver with a pistol loaded with 35 rounds of ammunition during a scuffle over taxi fare, on Friday appeared before an Accra circuit court. Abena Safoa Gyima, charged with threat of death and possessing fire arm with ammunition, pleaded not guilty. Abena was, however, admitted to bail in the sum of GH�20,000 with two sureties one to be a public servant. She is to reappear on July 30. The basis of the scuffle was that the complainant, Mr Michael Kweku Nanor, had charged GH�30 for service rendered to the accused who was ready to pay GH�20. When the police took over the matter, she said she only used a toy pistol to scare the complainant. Earlier Abena�s lawyer had prayed the court to admit his client to bail because she was pregnant and keeping her in custody would bring about some untold hardships. Chief Superintendent of Police, Duuti Tuaruka, Prosecutor, said Mr Nanor, a resident of Kwabenya, was in charge of Nissan Almera Taxi cab with registration number GR 1348-11. On his usual rounds at Spintex Community 18 Junction, Abena stopped the complainant and asked that he should take her to Nungua Estates. Chief Supt. Tuaruka said Abena also asked the complainant to drive her to Nungua Nshorna where she resided. Prosecution said on arrival, Mr Nanor demanded GH�30 cedis from Abena for the service rendered but she declined and insisted on paying GH� 20. According to the prosecutor an argument ensued between the two over the fare. Abena got angry and went to her room and to Mr Nanor�s surprise, she came out with a pistol and 35 rounds of ammunition. The complainant, who feared for his life, fled and reported the matter to the police. During investigations Abena admitted pulling the pistol which she claimed was a toy and that she only used it to scare the complainant. The police retrieved the pistol and the ammunition for ballistics examination.