General News of Monday, 4 December 2017
Source: citifmonline.com
2017-12-04
The unnamed suspect in the rape case being escorted out of the police station
Some police personnel from the Airport Police command are facing questioning for what appears to be negligence in the alleged rape of a 19-year-old house help by her Lebanese boss.
The 19-year-old was allegedly raped by her Lebanese employer, reportedly for the fourth time before his arrest.
However, when the case was reported to the Airport Police, the Officer on duty is reported to have accompanied the victim to the Airport Hills residence of the suspect, supervised the packing of her belongings and ensured that her GHc 350 November salary was paid her.
No arrest was effected at the time.
The Airport Police Divisional Commander, Isaac Kwadwo Asante, however refuted claims that a police officer from his outfit accompanied the victim to the residence of the suspect, but said investigations are ongoing into the police’s handling of the matter.
“It wasn’t the Airport Police [who escorted her]… I think I have made this thing clear,” he stated.
“We had the information on the platform, and we made an immediate follow-up. As I speak, I have invited the personnel at Airport [Police Station] and I am interrogating them.”
“From what we heard from the victim and their entries made at the Airport police station, the initial complaint was assault. The rape issue came here when it was referred to DOVVSU [Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit ] yesterday [Sunday] in the afternoon. So we made the follow-up and he has been arrested.”
The Airport Police Divisional Commander further urged the media and the public to give him some time “so we [the police] can go a bit further with the investigation.”
Background
The victim in this rape and assault case, who speaks only Ewe and French, said the suspect beat her after his apparent displeasure with the coffee she had prepared for him.
Following the incident, he dragged her to a bedroom and raped her, according to the victim, who spoke to Citi News at the police station.
She said he slapped her twice in her face, finally overpowered her and dragged her to his bedroom to rape her.
She had also told the Daily Graphic newspaper that she is consistently harassed for sex by her boss anytime his wife was not at home.
Former AG to serve as victim’s lawyer.
Ghana’s former Attorney General, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, has stepped in to serve as the lawyer of the victim.
After a closed-door meeting with the police leadership, she told Citi News that she will keenly follow the process to ensure justice is served to the 19-year-old victim.
Mrs. Appiah-Oppong also bemoaned the fact that such cases are often investigated slowly.
