The five have been charged with indecent assault, child pornography and defilement after they allegedly inserted their fingers into the victim’s private part, fondled her breasts and forcibly had sex with her.

[contextly_sidebar id=”wfVakjwkqPgTtmONhGGBUXS7B2M2pEyO”]When the accused persons appeared in court for the second time on Friday, January 5, 2017, the court, presided over Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku, they pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Jerry Avernorgbor, an Attorney represented them when the case was called.

The prosecutor said the five, including an 18-year old Senior High School student and four Junior High School students’ aged between 16 and 17 kissed and fondled the victim and also recorded videos of the act and posted same on social media.

The victim’s uncle, who saw the video after it went viral confronted her.

This incident comes after a similar one at Bantama in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi.

The SHS student and the four juveniles were admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢10,000.00 with a surety each when they made their maiden appearance at the court without a counsel.

The court, therefore, advised parents of the teenagers to get legal representation in the matter.

The facts as presented by Prosecution led by Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire was that the victim, a student resides at Osu with her mother.

On August 21, 2017 at about 19:00 hours the victim decided to take a stroll to the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Osu where she met one of the juveniles, who was also in the company of the 18-year-old accused.

The accused and one of the juveniles engaged the victim in a conversation and later the 3 other juveniles joined them.

The prosecution said the 18-year-old Senior High student and his accomplices lured the victim to a dark spot near Osu Salem Junior High School and they took turns to fondle her breast and insert their finger into her vagina.

The prosecution said the victim resisted but the other juveniles pinned her down whilst others continue to kiss and fondle her breast.

When she tried to shout for help they gagged her and one of them used his mobile phone to take videos of the act.

After the act, one of the juveniles, aged 16, asked the victim to allow him to have sex with her or else all the five would take turns to have sexual intercourse with her.

The prosecution said after the 16-year-old had sex with the victim, he pulled out a knife and threatened her not to inform anyone.

After the act, the victim and the accused departed.

The prosecution said the sex tape, however, went viral on social media. On September 15, 2017, the victim’s uncle received the video on WhatsApp and when the victim was quizzed she narrated her ordeal.

A report was made to the Police at Osu and medical report form was issued to the victim to seek medical attention.

The prosecution said an investigation led to the arrest of the 18-year-old accused and the four juvenile accomplices.

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Source: GNA

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She believes that sentencing the boys to serve time in jail would not rehabilitate them, adding that the humiliation that comes with being publicly caned would deter others better than a prison term.

This manner of corporal punishment is known in some Islamic countries where the Sharia law is strictly observed.

[contextly_sidebar id=”if005smeblmFyNGer7VetOQgU40841jQ”]“I don’t think prison will change them. It even hardens them because we don’t have the kind of atmosphere where people can really reflect, and then show remorse for what they have done…but when you are publicly punished I believe that will make you better…I believe [flogging] them will help,” the MP is quoted as having said by Accra-based Starr FM.

The three boys,  who will appear before a Juvenile court today [Wednesday] were arrested, on Saturday after a video, which allegedly showed them and four others, sexually assaulting a girl, went viral, and was met with widespread criticism from the Ghanaian public.

The Police confirmed the arrests at a press conference stating that, the suspects are Junior High School and Senior High School students, but refused to reveal their ages.

According to the prosecution, the case, which was supposed to have been heard on Tuesday in-camera by a Juvenile Court, had to be postponed to today [Wednesday], due to the absence of some relevant stakeholders expected to be in the at the in-camera sitting.

‘Drugs, alcohol influenced them’

The legislator also said the suspects must have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol to have committed the alleged assault.

She blamed a lack of “parental care” for the boys’ alleged actions, suggesting that they should have been advised against certain activities and influences.

“The things that could have urged the young ones to indulge in this kind of sodomy as I call it, is either they were under the influence of alcohol or were on drugs,” she added.

“But like I said, they are showing their wild edge, they have started having feelings and therefore were examining their feelings and directed it [there] because they don’t have the right parental care to tell them that there are certain things that we don’t do in our society.”

The four alleged accomplices in the act are still at large, but according to Patricia Appiagyei “we don’t have to waste time to get the rest, you know they are minors.”

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to the prosecution, the case, which was supposed to have been heard today [Tuesday], had to be postponed due to the absence of some relevant stakeholders expected to be in the at the in-camera sitting.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ttlZ37V6GyItzb6NJjLPoAvLEMp4qEGG”]Proceedings will be in-camera because the suspects are juveniles.

Relatives of some of the suspects trooped to the Asokwa District Court One to witness proceedings, which could not come off.

The suspects were in a somber mood when they were brought into the courtroom, and have since been taken back into police custody.

The three boys were arrested on Saturday after a video, which allegedly showed them and four others, sexually assaulting a girl, went viral, and was met with widespread criticism from the Ghanaian public.

The Police confirmed the arrests at a press conference stating that, the suspects are Junior High School and Senior High School students, but refused to reveal their ages.

The whereabouts of the four accomplices are still unknown.

“The command has arrested 3 suspects. The arrest of these suspects was made on Saturday, 16^th December 2017 at their various homes at Bantama. The three suspects and their 4 accomplices who are currently at large are all students….Two of the 3 arrested are in SHS 1 and the other in JHS 3,” she said.

Care for the victim

Citi News sources say the victim is currently at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital undergoing a medical examination.

ASP Juliana Obeng said the victim is cooperating with the Police in its investigation into the matter.

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By: Hafiz Tijani & Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Many Ghanaians are outraged over the viral video in which about seven young men, were seen forcibly having sex with the teenager.

[contextly_sidebar id=”N3JWjqaPbFr9mcTI5mpYNJQUUBcs83OH”]The video has been circulating on social media for close to 24 hours with the young men taking turns to rape the teenager.

The Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU)  of the Ashanti Regional Police Command has invited the 18-year old victim to assist in investigations.

Citi News sources say the victim is currently at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital undergoing medical examination. The incident occurred at Bantama in Kumasi.

Speaking to Citi News, Assembly Member for the Bantama Electoral area, Kwame Ofori, asked the Police to bring the culprits to book in order to serve as a deterrent to others.

“It is true that the incident occurred, and as the Assembly man, I urge various stakeholders not to take this issue lightly. I am very shocked by this incident because I never thought it could happen. I am following up on this case keenly. I urge the Police Service to take up this matter and thoroughly investigate it. The punishment handed out to the culprits should serve as a deterrent to others.”

Police investigates ‘gang rape’ video, cautions against circulation

The Police say they are on a manhunt to arrest other members of the gang, while investigation into the incident continues.

The National Headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, indicated in a statement that, it had taken a “serious view” of the incident, and has constituted a special investigative team to look into the matter, and identify the suspects for the necessary legal actions.

The statement also asked various media houses and those in possession of the video to “stop circulating it since it is an offence to circulate such obscene materials.”

“Anybody with any relevant information should personally report to the Cyber Crime Unit of the CID Headquarters for further action,” it added.

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By: Hafiz Tijani/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Service in a statement said it had taken a “serious view” of the incident, and has constituted a special investigative team to look into the matter and identify the suspects for the necessary legal actions.

[contextly_sidebar id=”UvP3TaimVp0Dcot6js9AiSkfl93vTlXr”]Many Ghanaians are outraged over a recent viral video in which some young men were seen forcibly having sex with a young girl who appears to be a teenager.

The video has been circulating on social media for close to 24 hours with the young men taking turns to rape the teenager.

The statement also asked various media houses and those in possession of the video to “stop circulating it since it is an offence to circulate such obscene materials.”

“Anybody with any relevant information should personally report to the Cyber Crime Unit of the CID Headquarters for further action,” it added.

The statement from the Police Service is below : 

The Police has intercepted a video recording of what appears to be a gang rape involving a young lady and at least five men.

In view of the serious nature of the act as shown in the video a special investigation team has been constituted at the CID Headquarters to analyze the video with the aim of identifying those involved and get them arrested for the necessary legal processes to be activated.

The Police CID is therefore appealing to all media houses and those in possession of the video to stop circulating it since it is an offence to circulate such obscene materials.

Anybody with any relevant information should personally report to the Cyber Crime Unit of the CID Headquarters for further action.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The 12-year old deceased was a class five pupil of the Tamale Bishops Roman Catholic Primary School located at Choggu.

[contextly_sidebar id=”6lzcFmyGEXnybAgoH5TBoInBrNZKSKzb”]The sad incident occurred at the deceased’s Wurishe residence near the Tamale Technical University.

Her remains have been deposited at the Tamale Teaching Hospital morgue, while police investigations are underway. Her traumatized family relations have remained tight-lipped on the incident.

Some students of Al-Wahada Islamic Primary School have called for rapid justice. They bemoaned her death, which according to them has caused fear and panic among female pupils in the area.

They thus admonished the police to fast-track their investigations and bring the perpetrators to book.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show earlier, the outgoing Police Public Relations Officer of the Norther Regional Police Command, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, said police are working with some evidence from the crime scene as investigations proceed, but no names have come up yet for arrests.

He noted that, police collected some blood and a substance, suspected to be semen, from the crime scene.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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