The Attorney-General (A-G) has been given one month to speed up processes for a pastor of the12 Apostles Church, to stand trial over the death of a girl, he supposedly defiled, at Asuokor, in the Eastern Region
Residents of Asuokor caught Pastor Isaac Bowe Gyasi, 50, allegedly defiling the 4-year-old victim in a bathroom near his church and handed him over to the police, on November 28, 2019.
The A-G held that the victim died while on admission at the hospital as a result of the alleged defilement, and Gyasi, accused of murder, has been on remand since 2019.
Counsel of the pastor, Mr David OwusuTachie, told the virtual court that his client was under the influence of alcohol when he allegedly committed the act.
Mr. Tachie, therefore, prayed for bail for accused, arguing that the pastor should be charged with manslaughter and not murder.
The Justice for All Programme(JFA) Virtual Court, held at Nsawam Medium Security Prison, presided over by Justice Clemence Honyenuga, Supreme Court judge, declined the application for bail, and gave the A-G one month to commit accused to stand trial at the High Court.
The state led by Yvoone Y. Dacosta, Assistant State Attorney and Vivian Osei Tutu opposed the bail application, indicating that the Bill of Indictment had been dispatched by the A-G and to prosecute the case.
In a related development, during the virtual edition of the JFA, two courts (clothed with High Court Jurisdiction) heard 60 cases.
At the end of proceedings of the two courts, there persons were discharged unconditionally, 27 granted bail and 23 others refused bail.
Additionally, six persons had their cases struck out and one person referred to the psychiatric hospital for examination.
The courts were presided over by Justice Angelina Mensah Homiah, a Court of Appeal Judge, and Justice ClemenceHonyenuga, Justice of the SC, and Chairman for the JAP.
The courts sat on rape, narcotic offences, and defrauding by false pretenses cases.
Justice Honyenuga said the virtual J AFprogramme‘train’ will move to the Ho Prisons, in the Volta Region.
The JAP seeks to provide opportunity for accused, who have been on remand for long years without trial, to secure justice. The JFA is held in collaboration with POS Foundation, a human rights non-governmental organisation. -GNA
