Irate DCE Turns Funeral Grounds Into Boxing Arena
…Beats Up Women Organizer, Leaving Her With Swollen Eye & Arm
Madam Emilia Emefa Adziamah, the district chief executive (DCE) of Agotime Ziope in the Volta Region, over the weekend, put away her role as the President’s representative in her area, to display her other side as a “boxer” by throwing punches at a funeral.
Madam Adziamah, in an unprovoked manner, landed heavy punches and pushed her fellow governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) member, almost damaging her eyes in the full glare of the party bigwigs.
The incident, which drew the attention of the large crowd of mourners, has caused significant embarrassment to the dignitaries and government functionaries present at the funeral.
The DCE’s victim, Dzifa Kaledzi, an immediate past Ho Central women organizer and leading member of NPP’s Loyal Ladies, not only sustained physical injuries on the lid of her left eye, but is also nursing an injury on her forearm, which is seriously swollen.
She told The Anchor yesterday, she is still in pain, days after the incident, and has visited the hospital twice already. She said she has still not been able to find reasons for the DCE’s action, because prior to the incident, she has had no issue whatsoever with her.
Ms Dzifa with bruises on her face
“I was even surprised myself. When the thing happened, I sat down and wasn’t in myself. I asked myself questions what could have happened? She pushed me, they were helping me up, then she hit my face with the brochure. Everybody was like don’t mind her, so even if she had said something, I would not have heard her,” she narrated.
The incident occurred during the funeral rites of the late Mrs. Mabel Adom Ahaze, wife of the Ho Central NPP chairman, Frank Ahaze.
Present at the dignitaries’ area, where the incident occurred, were constituency, regional and national party functionaries, including NPP flagbearer hopefuls Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Boakye Agyarko and the regional minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa.
It took assistance of the bodyguard and special assistant of the regional minister to lift the victim to get up.
A copy of police medical form issued to the victim
According to the victim, “Where the incident took place there was no way I could have shouted there because that is where dignitaries were seated, so actually I lowered my voice. So I was even telling her to move to the side of the chair for me so that I can manage and pass.
So, in saying this then she pushed me, so everybody present was surprised. Even if you have had an issue with someone, and the person says give me way, then you want to kill the person? It didn’t even happen in that way.”
Asked if the DCE said anything after pushing and injuring her, Dzifa said she could not tell because her action created a scene, but told her, “I told her I know she knows me very well.”
The funeral, which brought together the rank and file of the governing party, was nearly marred by the incident.
Narrating her ordeal, Ms.Kaledzi told The Anchor after the incident, she proceeded to the Ho Central police station to lodge a complaint because of the injuries and also because she feared for her life.
“I was afraid the way the whole thing happened, so I rushed to the police station. I am even in pain. You know, when the thing happened, I didn’t feel the pain, it was yesterday and today I am really feeling it. Yesterday it was so difficult to step outside. The thing has affected my eye itself. I have to go to the hospital on Saturday and I have been to the hospital today. The bills are on me for now,” she told this paper.
Medical forms given her by the police to go to the Ho Medical Hospital, stamped by the medical officer read: “Client allegedly hit with a brochure on the left eye and pushed forcefully to the bare ground this morning about 10:30AM.
“Left eye-Redness, tearing and photophobia Abrasive injury at the upper eyelid. Left forearm-Tenderness, mild swelling and multiple Abrasive injuries, limitation to movement (Painful elevation).”
She could not tell if the DCE has been invited by the police or not, but said she has not heard from her.
The swollen eyes of Ms Dzifa after the attack on her
“I can’t tell if she has been invited. I was given the medical forms but since then I have not heard from them. I am supposed meet the officer in charge of the case but because of the issue in the media, I have been having one meeting or the other, so by tomorrow I should be able to go there,” she explained.
Efforts by party and government as they try to solve the issue as a family have yielded no result, she said, adding that she would be prepared to let the issue slide if the DCE realizes her mistake and apologizes to her personally.
But she will pursue the matter in the law court for damages, in the event that she does not, she vowed.
“The thing, is if someone has offended you, the person is supposed to show remorse, right? If I have offended you, I am supposed to say sorry to you, not somebody else. I think that one will rather bring peace than somebody else telling you sorry, so for now that is what is happening. I have not heard from her since Saturday.
Sometimes, the way we are all surprised it might be something we don’t know, it is about you realizing that you are at fault and if you are at fault, you apologize to whoever you have offended and me I am a Christian so I don’t think I can hold grudges just that,” she said.
Asked if she has had any prior issue with the DCE, she responded in the negative, saying “No, I don’t have any prior issue with her. I am known and I know her; we know each other. I have never quarreled with her before, I have never fought with her before. At party level, we have been meeting.”
Dzifa, who is a member of the Volta Regional communication team, continued that “The thing is, her issue has never cropped up since I started going on radio, so that I will say something like that.”
Source: Anchorghana.com
