The 10-year-old girl who was defiled by
a 28-year
old man in the Achimota Forest Reserve, yesterday gave her evidence-in-chief at
the Domestic Violence Division of the Accra Circuit Court.
The accused person, Kwame Mensah, has already pleaded
not guilty to a charge of defilement levelled against him.
The before
the court, presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku has adjourned the case
to June 29, 2017.
The first to
testify in the case was the Greater Accra Regional Manager of the Forestry
Commission, Mrs Edith Esi Ansah, who is also the complainant in the case,
She stated that
on January 17, 2017, she was in her office when members of the rapid response
team brought Mensah and the 10-year-old girl.
In her
evidence-in-chief, the forestry officers told the court that, they found the
girl lying down in the forest, while Mensah stood beside her in the process of
wearing his trousers but on seeing the forestry officers tried absconding and
was eventually apprehended.
Mrs Ansah added
that upon close inspection on the girl revealed a wet substance that looked
like sperms on her dress so she and her other officers, took both Mensah and
the girl to the police station and lodged a formal complaint against him.
Mensah however denied
the evidence given by the complainant (forestry officer), and told the court he
was arrested by the forestry officers at Kotobabi and not inside the Achimota
Forest.
He alluded that
one of the officers led his arrest because he claims he had stolen his fowl.
The facts, as
presented by the Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Agnes
Boafo, are that the victim is a pupil while Mensah is unemployed.
According to
the Prosecutor, on January 17, 2017, Mensah spotted the girl at her school and
convinced her to follow him in order to collect some books and pens for her
teacher.
He said Mensah
lured the girl to board a car and took her to the Achimota Forest Reserve,
where he asked her to lie on the floor.
ASP Boafo said the
girl refused and started crying so Mensah slapped her and pulled out a knife,
threatening to kill her if she does not comply. He then had sexual intercourse
with her.
The prosecutor told
the court that luck, however, eluded Mensah when he was spotted by the Achimota
Forestry Rapid Response Task Force just as he started dressing after the sexual
act.
ASP Boafo said
Mensah was arrested after a hot chase, and sent him to Mrs Ansah, who subsequently lodged a
complaint with the police and a medical form was issued for examination,
treatment and report.
By Maame Agyeiwaa Agyei
No comments:
Post a Comment