Drama broke out when an Accra circuit court sentenced a 21-year-old Auto mechanic to seven years imprisonment for defiling a 12-year-old girl in a vehicle parked at a mechanic shop at Darkuman.
Samuel Teye, was found guilty by the court presided over by Mrs Christina Cann on the charge of defilement at the end of a trial. Teye had pleaded for mitigation, as he maintained that he did not defile the victim.
But soon after judgment was pronounced in the courtroom, Teye’s step-father raised his hand in the air, saying he and family had paid GH₵3,000.00 to the complainant and yet his son was convicted.
Teye’s step-father said he and the complainant discussed that they were going to give some of the money to the prosecutor and the Police Commander; surprisingly, the complainant admitted collecting the money, when the trial judge asked him whether the accusation was true.
The complainant also told the court that they were approached by the convict’s step-father and relations to collect GH₵ 3,000.00 to defray any cost incurred as a result of the matter.
According to the complainant, he had not spent the money and it was lodged in a Momo wallet, so the court ordered the complainant to produce the money and hand it over to the convict’s step-father, which he did after some minutes.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Agnes Boafo, the prosecutor said she was unaware of any payment; the trial judge cautioned audience in the courtroom against payment of monies to any court official or police personnel.
The judge said: “I don’t take bribe here, I don’t accept “thank you gifts”. Don’t give money to anyone in court to be given to anybody. I am paid for the job I am doing.
If you pay any money to anyone, that person is going to use it for himself.”
On March 25, this year, at about 8pm, prosecution said Teye lured the victim into a black Chevrolet private car parked inside a mechanic shop at Darkuman, locked the car doors and forcibly had sex with the victim on a front seat.
The prosecutor said the victim returned home late and when her Aunty enquired she narrated her ordeal to her. Complainant reported the case to the Kaneshie Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit and he was given a Police Medical Report form to seek treatment.
Prosecution said after the examination, the report confirmed that the victim has been defiled, so on March 27, this year, Teye was arrested and during interrogation he denied the offence. GNA
