The Weija Circuit Court has dismissed a plea for an out-of-court settlement by a woman whose 15-year-old daughter was allegedly defiled and wounded by two men, one of whom was alleged to be the victim’s boyfriend.
It was the case of the woman, identified only as Rebecca, 33, that since the alleged incident, the father of one of the two accused persons, remanded by the court in connection with the case, had been supporting her financially.
Appearing before the court, she said the father of one of the accused persons had not relented in his efforts to seek after the welfare of her daughter, who was currently nursing a wound on the shoulder, hence her plea to the court to discontinue with the case.
The court, presided over by Mr Bernard Bentil, however, rejected her plea and cautioned her to refrain from any deed targeted at undermining the processes of prosecution.
The judge, who was visibly angered by the request, insisted that the court would continue with the case and gave an assurance that the accused persons would be punished severely, if found guilty of the alleged offence.
The accused persons
Nii Lante Lamptey, 21, and Enoch Quaye, 18, were put before the court on Monday, June 3, 2019 for allegedly defiling and wounding a 15-year old girl.
Nii Lamptey, who is the alleged boyfriend of the victim, allegedly lured the girl and had sexual intercourse with her and kept her in his room at Gbawe for three days.
Enoch, who is said to be a friend of Nii Lamptey, on a different date, is also said to have lured the victim into his room and succeeded in having sexual intercourse with her.
Upon hearing that his friend had had sexual intercourse with his alleged lover, Nii Lamptey allegedly accosted the victim and in the process stabbed and wounded her following an altercation between them.
The two accused persons were arraigned on June 3. Both pleaded not guilty to two counts of defilement and causing harm and were remanded by the court.
When the case was called last Friday, the two accused persons failed to show up for some unknown reasons and the court denied them bail .
The court, however, held that the accused persons would be granted bail when the case was recalled on Tuesday, June 25, 2019.
Briefing
Briefing the Daily Graphic later on the facts of the case, the prosecutor, Inspector Christopher Wonder Afeke, said in May this year, Nii Lamptey allegedly detained the victim (name withheld) in his room at Gbawe for three days and had sexual intercourse with her.
He said that on the same day that he released the girl, his friend, Enoch Quaye, also allegedly lured the victim into his room and had sexual intercourse with her.
Upon hearing that his friend had the girl in his room, he said Nii Lamptey, allegedly, stormed Enoch’s house and succeeded in taking the victim away from him.
“On their way, he attacked the victim with a knife and wounded her on the shoulder,” Inspector Afeke added.
He said the mother of the victim reported the case to the Mallam Police and both Nii Lamptey and Enoch were arrested and processed for court.