The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr. Julius Debrah, has dragged his ex-lover, Jemima Dufie Ayikpa, to an Accra Circuit Court over extortion and conspiracy to commit crime allegation.
Jemima Dufie Ayikpa, who had a short term relationship with the minister in 2007, claimed to have been impregnated by the minister, but he had denied responsibility for the child. She, therefore, threatened to expose the minister in the media.
The accused is alleged to have warned the minister to part with GH¢4,100 as a token to prevent her from exposing their past relationship and the child to the press.
Mr. Julius Debrah, who seemed to have been scared by Jemima Dufie Ayikpa’s threat, made a part payment of GH¢2,000 to her.
The accused was reported to the police by the minister after she had made an extra demand of GH¢25,000 from him.
Ms. Ayikpa admitted the offence in her caution statement, claiming that one Kwaku Baah was the brain behind her action.
She pleaded not guilty to the charge of extortion and conspiracy to commit crime, before the court presided over by Mr. Francis Obiri.
She was admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 with two sureties and expected to re-appear before the court on February 14, 2014.
The facts are that sometime in 2007, the complainant befriended Jemima Dufie Ayikpa but the relationship did not last.
Later the accused informed the complainant that she was pregnant for him, which the complainant denied responsibility.
According to the prosecutor, Superintendent Duuti Tuaruke, the complainant, never heard from Jemima Dufie Ayikpa until a few months later, after she had delivered. She again confronted the complainant to accept responsibility, but the complainant for the second time denied being responsible, the Prosecuting officer told the court.
According to him, in view of that, Ms. Ayikpa began embarrassing the complainant to the extent of going to his work place, but she did not succeed.
‘In 2012, Jemima Dufie Ayikpa, on hearing that the complainant was contesting as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Suhum Constituency, called the complainant on phone, and threatened to expose him in the media if he failed to give her money.
The complainant became alarmed and was compelled under the circumstance to find out what exactly Jemima Dufie Ayikpa wanted. The lady then demanded GH¢4,100 to rent a room and to trade.
The prosecutor mentioned that the complainant, therefore, gave GH¢2,000 to Ms. Ayikpa to avoid further disturbance.
However, Ms. Ayikpa after collecting the money was never heard of until she had knowledge of the complainant’s ministerial appointment in March 2013.
According to him, Ms. Ayikpa re-surfaced and this time around, demanded GH¢25,000 from the complainant, else she will expose him to the media to tarnish his image.
He said, following this, the complainant started receiving several phone calls from some journalists from Asempa, Oman and Hot FM, all local radio stations in Accra, asking him about the allegation.
‘He received a text message from Nii Adortey of National Democratic Congress (NDC) to the effect that Jemima Dufie Ayikpa has agreed to accept GH¢10,000 to end her treat, as against her initial demand of GH¢25,000.’
The complainant then reported the case to the Domestic Violence Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the police at Madina for investigation,’ he stated.
Superintendent Tuaruke asserted that after preliminary investigation into the matter, the complainant went to the Madina District Magistrate Court to request for DNA to determine the biological father of the child, who was up held, a DNA test was done and the test result was negative.
He said at another point the complainant again ordered for another DNA test at Sciencelett lab in the presence of Ms. Ayikpa’s lawyer, one Mr. Owusu and a court official at the expense of the complainant to determine the paternity of the child.
He further stated that the result turned out to be negative and clearly stated that the probability of the complainant being the father of the child was zero.
However, Jemima Dufie Ayikpa, not satisfied with the test result, began threatening to expose the complainant in the media.
‘Subsequently, the complainant reported the case to the police for investigation. However, while investigation was going on, the matter was aired on Hot FM on November 4, 2013, followed by another publication in the Daily Heritage on November 5 and 6, 2013, on its front page.
Jemima Dufie Ayikpa was arrested for investigation and admitted having collected an amount of GH¢2000 from the complainant in her cautioned statement but denied threatening to expose the complainant in the media’ he emphasized.
She also stated that it was one Kwaku Baah and other people who have been the brain behind her action. She agreed speaking to media personnel for publication, the prosecutor added.
Leave a comment. 0 comment so far.