Drama in court … accused blames victim’s father for indecent assault
A 42-year-oldcar washer, Mr. Francis Agyei popularly called Shaba who is standing trial for alleged indecent assault of an 11-year-old school girl gave the people in the Accra Circuit Court ‘5’ good doses of laughter on Tuesday when he told the Court that it was rather the victim who attempted to kiss him.
He said that when he refused to accede to the victim’s advances, she told him (accused) that he was not a guy.
Hear him: “I did not touch her. She rather wanted to Kiss me and when I refused, she told me that I was not a guy,” thus drawing laughter from those in the courtroom.
But the victim (name withheld) vehemently denied Mr. Agyei’s assertion when she was cross-examined during a video conference.
She said that it was the accused who covered her mouth with a piece of cloth, dragged her to his room after she had finished easing herself in a toilet closed to his room, undressed her and inserted his finger into her vagina.
The accused had early on told the Court presided by Mrs. Christiana Cann in his cross-examination that, it was the father of the victim, Detective Sergeant Lawrence who inserted his finger into the vagina of his biological daughter when he traced and found her with Mr. Agyei, to ascertain whether the accused had slept with her.
“It is the man who “finger-printed” his daughter not me” he said, throwing the entire Courtroom into a “pool” of laughter.
Shaba is currently on a GH¢50,000.00 bail with three sureties, two to be justified.
He has, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge of indecent assault.
The prosecutor, Sergeant Opoku Aniagyei said that at about 12:30pm on July 20, 2021, at the Central Police Barracks in Accra, the accused removed the underwear and blouse of the victim and inserted his finger into her vagina.
He said that the victim, a class six pupil, was the biological daughter of the complainant, D/Sgt Lawrence Tettey, while the accused Mr. Francis Agyei, a car washer also lived in the same house with him.
He said that the victim on that fateful day went to their washroom to attend to call of nature when the accused who was within the facility, and in his boxer shorts held and dragged her to one of the rooms, removed her underwear and blouse, and inserted his finger into her vagina.
The prosecutor said that the complainant who was waiting for her daughter (victim) around the washroom made a follow up to the toilet to call her because she was keeping long.
Sgt. Aniagyei said that on reaching the washroom, the complainant saw only the skirt of the victim and decided to turn back but heard some voices in one of the rooms and knocked to find out those inside.
He said the accused responded and the complainant requested to know who was inside the room which he (accused) answered that he was alone.
Not satisfied with the answer, the complainant opened the door and saw the victim naked in the room. He arrested the accused to the Accra Central Police Station and lodged a complaint where a medical form was issued to him (complainant) to take the victim to the hospital for treatment.
By Castro Zangina-Tong