The management of Marwako Fast Foods has suspended its Abelenkpe Branch Supervisor, Jihad Chaaban, who allegedly robbed the face of a female employee with blended pepper.
The management of the food chain expressed its regret at the unfortunate incident and hinted of investigating the alleged act and taking subsequent disciplinary sanctions.
A statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alhaji Marwan Mohammed, said Marwako was cooperating with and assisting the police to establish the facts for the purpose of allowing the law to be applied accordingly.
It said Chaaban had been interrogated by the police and was currently on bail, pending further processes, while the company was “providing the best of care for and ensuring the best interest of the victim”.
Assurances
It assured the public that the company would not sacrifice the reputation it had built for itself over the last 12 years in Ghana as an entity that looked out for its employees who were credited for the best services it rendered to its clients.
According to the statement, the victim had reported the incident to the Head of Human Resource at the Labadi Branch of the company, “but this, unfortunately, had not been brought to the attention of management until the police sought to arrest the said supervisor”.
The Human Resource Department is said to have attempted to resolve the issue internally and asked the victim to report to work on Monday, February 27, 2017, but the internal resolution attempt was later curtailed by management.
The statement assured its clients and the public that “Mawarko will not condone mistreatment of its workers and, therefore, condemns in no uncertain terms the alleged assault”.
Assault
A female worker of the Abelenkpe Branch of Mawarko was allegedly maltreated by Chaaban, a Lebanese supervisor, for ostensibly fidgeting with a blender she was using to blend pepper on February 26, 2017.
The young lady, Evelyn Boakye, had her face robbed with blended pepper for about five minutes and was subsequently locked up by Chaaban for hours before she was released to leave the workplace.
The Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police Mrs Afia Tenge, had indicated that the police immediately arrested Chaaban on February 28, 2017 after receiving a complaint from the victim.
Chaaban, she said, had been charged with assault and had since been granted a police enquiry bail pending further investigations.
Identification parade
The Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Nana Osabarima Oware Asare Pinkrong III, had since directed the Tesano District Police Command to parade the suspect before the command on Tuesday, March 7, 2017.
MP’s comments
Following media reports on the incident, a former Minister of State at the Presidency in charge of Private Sector Development and Public\Private Partnerships (PPP), Mr Rashid Pelpuo, called on the Ghana Police Service to thoroughly investigate the case.
Mr Pelpuo, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wa Central, condemned incidents in which Ghanaians working in various companies owned by foreigners were maltreated, while no actions were taken.
