‘Sodomy’ doctor faces two charges
The doctor who is alleged to have sodomised a 16-year-old senior high school student was yesterday remanded in police custody by the Accra Circuit Court.
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Sulley Ali-Gabass, a gynaecologist at the Effia Nkwanta Hospital in Sekondi, was said to have had canal knowledge of his victim five times at Kasoa in the Central Region and Alajo in Accra between October 2013 and April 2014.
He was taken to court in handcuffs at about 10 a.m. in a white T-shirt over a pair of brown khaki trousers.
He sat well composed in the courtroom, often casting his eyes around to take a look at the people in the court, and sometimes wearing friendly faint smiles.
Case held in camera
When the case was called at 11.44 a.m., counsel for the accused, Mr John Benson and Mr Fixon Owoo, accompanied him to the judge’s chambers where the case was held in camera.
Barely 10 minutes later, the proceedings came to an end and the suspect, his lawyers and the prosecutors emerged from the judge’s chamber.
Attempts to avoid cameras
Ali-Gabass was immediately whisked away by plain-clothes policemen and when cameramen started taking shots of him, he bowed down his head in an attempt to avoid the cameras.
He was later put in a waiting salon vehicle and driven away into police custody.
A handful of his relatives were on the court premises to show solidarity with him.
Charges
He was charged with two counts of defilement and unnatural canal knowledge. His plea was not taken and he is to reappear before the court on November 7, 2014.
Background
According to the facts of the case, the victim is a student and resides at Kasoa, while Ali-Gabass is a medical practitioner at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital.
It said in September 2013, the victim encountered the accused person on Facebook and they became friends.
“They chatted online and communicated by phone for a while until in October, 2013 when the accused arranged and met the victim at Kasoa New Market area, where he forcibly had anal sex with him in his car,” the prosecution said.
It said on December 28, 2013 at about 7 p.m., Ali-Gabass again met the victim at the same venue and had anal sex with him, after which he offered him a Samsung Galaxy mobile phone and GH¢20.
“The victim allegedly turned down the offer, but Ali-Gabass insisted that he took it,” the prosecution said, adding that after the second sexual act the student became ill.
“He informed the accused about his ill health and Ali-Gabass prescribed paracetamol tablets for him. Incidentally, during February, 2014, the medical doctor again had another act with the victim at the same venue,” the court, presided over by Mrs Rita Agyeman-Badu, was told.
According to the prosecution, in March and April 2014, the accused person lured the victim to his house at Alajo in Accra and again had anal sex with him.
“After the fifth incident, the victim started experiencing excruciating pains and complained to the suspect to give him money to attend hospital but Ali-Gabass refused.
“Rather, he threatened the victim persistently via phone calls and managed to put fear in the victim from disclosing his ordeal,” it added.
Victim’s condition deteriorates
The prosecution said the victim’s condition became worse and he informed Ali-Gabass, who advised him to go to hospital.
“In August 2014, the victim’s condition became so critical that he was sent to the Ahmadiyya Mission Hospital at Agona Swedru where he was later referred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for further treatment.
“Ali-Gabass was informed of the boy’s condition and he gave GH¢800 to the victim’s elder brother to cater for his medical expenses,” it stated.
Victim diagnosed HIV positive
According to the prosecution, on September 21, 2014, the victim was admitted to the Surgical Ward of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital where anal fistula and anal rectal abscess surgical operation was performed on him.
It said while receiving treatment at the facility, the victim was diagnosed HIV positive and he mentioned Ali-Gabass’s name as the one responsible for his complications.
“When interrogated, the accused admitted having known the victim as a friend. He said he had on three occasions visited him at Kasoa and also once took him to his house at Alajo. He, however, denied having unnatural carnal knowledge of him,” the prosecution added.
