I want a separate trial-Casely-Hayford
'Prophet'
jailed 15 years for defilement
Pastor
in court over rape of mother-in-law
Accra (Greater Accra) 13 December 2001 - Ralph Casely-Hayford, an Engineer who is jointly standing trial at an Accra Fast Track High Court (FTHC) with Sherry Ayittey, a top functionary of the 31st December Movement and two others, on Thursday petitioned the court to grant his application for a separate trial.
In a supporting affidavit, Casely-Hayford said since the others, Ayittey, Sati Ocran and Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, were politicians, the trial had certain political over-tones.
The accused persons have pleaded not guilty to various counts of corruption charges in connection with the divestiture of Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL).
Casely-Hayford contended: "It would not only be inconsistent with the Constitution, but inimical to my interest if I was tried together with them, because I would not be given a fair trial."
He therefore asked the court to grant his application so that he could be tried separately to ensure justice. Mr Justice J.C. Amonoo-Monney, the trial judge, adjourned proceedings to Tuesday, December 18, to enable the State to reply to the application.
Casely-Hayford faces a charge of using public office for profit. He is alleged to have accepted 70 million cedis on September 25, 1996, under the pretext of influencing Mr Dan Abodakpi, then a member of the Divestiture Implementation Committee to help in divesting GREL in favour of Societe Industrielle Plantation Hevea, a French company.
Ayittey is charged on various counts of corrupting a public officer; Ocran who is charged with using public office for profit, is alleged to have collaborated with Ayittey to influence the divestiture of GREL.
Agbodo allegedly collected 25 million cedis from Dr Albert Owusu Barnafo, a Consultant in order to influence GREL's divestiture. All the accused persons are on self-recognisance bail.
GRi../
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Cape Coast
(Central Region) 13 December 2001 - A Cape Coast Circuit Tribunal on Wednesday
sentenced a 25-year-old electrician from Cape Coast, who doubles as a 'prophet'
to 15 years' imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a 13-year-old junior
secondary school girl.
Paul Saah
alias Kwesi Komfo, pleaded guilty pleaded and was convicted on his own plea.
The tribunal chaired by Mr Peter Aggrey heard that in June this year, Saah who
lives in Wiamua, a suburb of Cape Coast, had a contract to wire the township of
Abura Bando in the Abura Asebu Kwamankesse District.
While
there, Saah made friends with some of the town folks including the victim's
aunt. Somewhere in August this year, Saah told the victim's aunt that the girl
had a spiritual problem and if it was not cured she would go mad.
The girl's
aunt became convinced and sent the innocent girl for spiritual healing where
Saah demanded an amount of 200,000 cedis being the cost for the healing which
the woman paid.
When the
girl was left alone with Saah at his place he told her that he needed semen to
prepare the concoction for the healing and then took her to his healing
grounds, sexually abused her for two days and warned her not to inform anyone
about the incident.
Due to fear
of being beaten by the aunt the girl went into hiding for one week before he
went back home to inform her aunt of the ordeal she went through in the hands
of the 'prophet'.
When Saah
was confronted he admitted the offence and pleaded for amicable solution and,
therefore, refunded the 200,000 cedis he collected for the healing and paid an
additional 130,000 cedis for the transport cost they incurred.
The family
later reported the case to the Police when Saah failed to pay the victim's
medical bill.
GRi.../
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Sunyani
(Brong Ahafo) 13 December 2001 - Frank Frimpong, a 25-year-old Pastor of a
spiritual church in Sunyani on Tuesday appeared before the Sunyani community
tribunal for allegedly raping his mother-in-law. He pleaded not guilty and the
tribunal granted him bail to re-appear before the high court on January 14,
2002 for trial.
The
Prosecution’s case was that in October last year, the victim Madam Naomi
Nyarko, 50, sent word to her daughter, who is the wife of Frimpong requesting
her to come and accompany her to the hospital.
The
daughter informed her husband about the mother's message and Frimpong,
volunteered to go and take the woman to the hospital.
Frimpong
bought a pie and a bottle of coke for the sick woman, who after taking the coke
felt dizzy and slept. Frimpong is said to have taken advantage of the
mother-in-law's situation and raped her, after which he sent her to the
hospital.
Madam Naomi
later informed some of her family members about her ordeal, but when the Pastor
was asked to perform some rites since what he had done was a taboo, he refused,
claiming that the charge was false.
Madam
Naomi, therefore, reported the matter to the police and Pastor Frimpong was
arrested.
GRi../
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