Police officer in court for allegedly defiling girl, 14
A POLICE officer, General Corporal Emmanuel Duah, is before the Ho Circuit Court for allegedly defiling a 14- year-old girl after dragging her into a room at the Ave-Xavi Police Station in the Akatsi North District of the Volta Region.
Duah, 46, who preferred to speak Twi in court, was not represented by a counsel.
Advertisement
He pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement.
Assistant State Attorney, Enyonam Letsa, told the court, presided over by Mr Felix Datsomor, that the sex act took place on September 21, 2021.
According to the prosecution, at 3.30 p.m. that day, the primary five pupil was sent by her mother to fetch rain water collected in a silver basin placed in front of the police station.
When the girl did not return home after a long while, her mother followed up to the police station and saw the basin and the police officer at the scene, but not the girl.
Found in the bush
The prosecution said at 5.45 p.m, on the same day, the girl was escorted home by a local resident who found her in the bush near the police station.
Thereafter, the girl informed her mother that on reaching the compound where the basin was placed, the accused asked her to go and buy sachet water for him, but she refused and explained to him that she had been warned by her mother never to run such errands for anyone.
The prosecution said at that juncture, the accused took the basin away from her, held her by one hand and covered her mouth with the other, before carrying her into the room inside the police station building, and forcibly had sex with her.
Complainant
The girl’s mother reported the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of Duah, who was later granted police enquiry bail.
The prosecution said on October 12, 2021, the police visited the crime scene at the Ave-Xavi Police Station where the girl led investigators to the room where the accused had sex with her, and demonstrated how he carried out the act on her, on the floor.
During interrogation, Duah told investigators he only held the girl’s hand and touched her breast, but denied having sex with her.
The accused, who turned up two hours late in court, was granted bail in the sum of G₵50,000 with two sureties.
At the time of filing the story, he had not been able to execute the bail and was taken to custody.