Three friends held over defilement granted bail
Three friends who took turns to defile a 13-year-old girl at Nungua have been admitted to bail by an Accra Circuit Court.
Agbenyo Cyril Eli, a Salesperson, Aaron Acheampong, a student, Richmond Ayim have been admitted to bail in the sum of GH₵ 20,000 each with three sureties each of which one has to be justified.
They are to report to the Police every Friday until the final determination of the case.
The court presided over by Mrs. Rita Abrokwah Doko also ordered the three accused persons to stay from the complainant and the victim pending the final determination of the case.
Defense counsel Mr Alex Gyamfi prayed the court to vary the justification since obtaining a justification was going to be difficult.
The court therefore varied the bail terms saying one of the sureties should be a public servant earning a net salary not less than GH₵ 2,500.
It further directed the prosecution to serve all the accused and their lawyers with documents they would be relying on during the trial.
The matter has been adjourned to March 29.
Eli has been charged with abetment of crime and defilement, Acheampong is facing a charge of defilement while Ayim is facing that of defilement and abduction.
They have all denied the charges.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire said the complainant is a trader and mother of the victim and both live together at Nungua.
The Prosecution said Acheampong and Eli are the complainant’s friends.
He said on January 29, this year, the complainant celebrated her birthday and the two accused persons attended her party to celebrate the day.
Chief Inspector Atimbire said at about 2300 hours that same day the complainant went out leaving the victim behind in the house and at that juncture, the two accused persons conspired and Acheampong had sex with the victim in her mother’s room, while Eli kept watch at the gate.
He said after the act Eli gave the victim some pill to take to avoid getting pregnant.
The Prosecution said on February 10, this year at about 1245 hours Acheampong visited the victim in the complainant’s house, and in the absence of the complainant, had sex with the victim again.
The prosecution said the victim, however, confided later in Eli that she wanted to leave her mother’s house and needed someone who would assist to pay her school fees.
He said on hearing this Eli on February 14, this year at about 1230 pm, lured the victim to Nungua Ravico and later to his house at Kantamanto.
The Prosecution said in the house, Eli inserted his fingers into the victim’s vagina and had sex with her and then took the victim to his friend known as Richmond at Regimanuel Estates.
According to the prosecution, the said Richmond also had sex with the victim twice.
He said the complainant searched everywhere for the victim but to no avail and went to the offices of Airtel Tigo and took details of the victim’s phone calls where it came to light that Eli had made several calls to the victim.
Prosecution said a report was then made to the Domestic Violence and Victim’s Support Unit (DOVVSU and Eli was nabbed, and in his caution statement confessed that he had kept the victim at his friend’s house at Regimauel Estates.
The prosecution said when Richmond heard about Eli’s arrest, he freed the victim and fled but was later arrested by the Police and charged.
Source: GNA