This was disclosed to journalists on Wednesday February 28, 2018 in Accra, by the Minister of Interior, Ambrose Derry.

According to him, the UN granted the request for the Ghanaian delegation to also independently investigate the issue.

[contextly_sidebar id=”IQZsAOQQlPxTptOhVAmmMyTXOb0xfPex”]“The UN has agreed that our team should go there and investigate,” he said.

Some members of a Ghanaian police unit working with the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan are being investigated for breaching the UN’s sexual exploitation and abuse rules.

The unit in question has also been recalled.

The investigation into the conduct of the officers began after reports that they were having transactional sex with women living in one of the protection camps with gifts or favours given in exchange for the encounters.

Mr. Derry, who spoke to journalists on the sidelines of a wreath laying ceremony held for servicemen who lost their lives in the February 28 crossroad shooting, said he was hit hard by reports of the alleged sexual misconduct by the Ghanaian soldiers.

“As the Minister for Interior the allegation hit me hard… It is still under investigation and we will be the first to bring to book any Ghanaian we find who has breached the rules, and the UN allowing us to independently investigate the matter shows that they believe we are going to contribute constructively to it,” he added.

We’ll cooperate with UN probe – Police

The Police Administration had promised to cooperate fully with the UN in the investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct.

In a statement released by the Police after the news broke, the Police Administration conveyed “its fullest cooperation and support to investigate the alleged sexual exploitation and abuse case.”

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post C’ttee probing sexual misconduct by peacekeepers visits South Sudan appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The A-G has therefore requested for the docket and directed that the matter be heard at the Tarkwa High court.

The accused, Sai Yeluri, 28, had earlier pleaded guilty with explanation to the offense and the court presided over by Mr Emmanuel Bart-Plange Brew granted him bail in the sum of 40,000 Ghana cedis with two sureties.

He was also asked to hand over his passport to the registrar of the court.

Prosecuting earlier, Chief Inspector Faustina Celestina Anaman, told the court that, on January 1, this year, at about 1500 hours, the victim’s mother, Francisca Mensah, a businesswoman at Tamso went to the Nsuta swimming poolside of the Ghana Manganese Company with her daughter to have fun.

She said the accused, who is not a staff of Ghana Manganese Company, Nsuta and his friend Karthik were also enjoying themselves at the pool side.

She said the accused and his friend then went for the victim and another girl and offered to teach them how to swim.

Chief Inspector Anaman explained that while Sai and his friend were swimming in the pool with the girls, Francisca decided to video them and later went for the victim and returned home.

The Prosecution said the next day when the complainant watched the video, she noticed that the accused had inserted his finger into the victim’s vagina.

She said Francisca informed the Nsuta Police and a medical report form was issued to the victim.

Dr Joseph Darko of Apinto government hospital examined the victim and endorsed the medical form which was returned to the police on the same day.

The Prosecution said all efforts made by the police to download the video from the complainant’s phone failed.

On January 5, Chief inspector Anaman said the accused was arrested but he denied the offense.

–

Source: GNA

The post Circuit Court drops Indian sexual assault case; High Court takes over appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The victim, whose name has been withheld, was said to have been sexually assaulted after she drank a non-alcoholic beverage suspected to have been laced with a sedative, at a party thrown by some fishermen who were celebrating bumper catch on Monday, January 17, 2018.

The victim, who woke up the next morning with blood stains in her dress and in severe pain, reported her ordeal to her mother’s friend as her mother was out of town.

[contextly_sidebar id=”u6WwMV02fAelNRDwFw7uJO1FtRCMQK0g”]However the matter was not reported to the police until after the victim’s mother had returned from her trip on Monday.

Before the matter could be reported to the Police, the father of two of the suspects approached the victim’s mother for an amicable resolution of the matter.

The four suspects are currently at large.

Meanwhile the district police commander for the Ellembelle District Supt. Thomas Bayor who confirmed the incident to Citi News, added that a medical form has been issued to the victim whilst investigations and a manhunt for the suspects are underway.

“[The incident] has come to our notice. It was reported to us yesterday in the evening. The police are making efforts to arrest the suspects. In the meantime, we issued a medical form to the victim yesterday and she brought it this morning. Investigations have commenced into the matter.”

Supt. Bayor expressed displeasure that the parents of the victim had waited a week after the incident happened before going to the police.

“As a result of this, we have had to do a thorough investigation to know that we arresting the right perpetrators of the crime. The delay could also get the suspects to escape arrest. Defilement cases like this should not be kept at the house,” he added.

5 in court for sexually assaulting girl in Bantama

This comes on the back of some five persons who are currently facing trial for alleged sexual assault of an 18-year old girl at Bantama in the Ashanti Region.

The suspects were arrested after a video which reportedly showed them forcing themselves on the victim went viral on social media.

Lebanese ‘rapes’ househelp

A Lebanese national is also standing trial for reportedly raping his Ghanaian househelp at his residence in Accra

Rabih Haddad was recently granted bail by an Accra High Court to the tune of five hundred thousand cedis (GHc500,000) with two sureties to be justified.

The suspect, who took ill in December after his arrest, has been on admission at the Police Hospital till date.

Five arraigned for alleged gang rape in Osu

Five persons including four Junior High School students have also been arraigned for their involvement in the alleged gang rape of a 15-year-old girl at Osu in Accra.

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.

–

By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 14-year old girl defiled by four men in Ellembelle appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The victim’s mother suspects attempts by the police to cover up the matter.

How did it happen?

It all started when two Indian nationals swimming in the pool asked to teach the children how to swim. The mother, [who we’ll refer to as Afiba] of the children initially hesitated, but she agreed after the strangers convinced her that learning to swim early was the best way.

While the Indians supposedly taught her daughter how to swim, she filmed the process with her smartphone.

‘Little girl cries’

In between the session, the woman noticed her daughter was crying, but she misinterpreted it as a reaction to the fear of being in the pool.

Unawares to her, the Indian, was sexually abusing her, and the cries, were cries for help.

One of the Indians held the 3-year-old girl closely to his chest with his right hand while inserting a left finger into the little girl’s vagina.

The doctor who conducted medical examinations on the 3-year-old girl said her genitals were bruised.

“She had sores around her genitals, around the vagina and the hymen had sores around it,” the doctor said.

Of the psychological state of the girl and Afiba, he said they were traumatized.

‘Police case’

The Afiba returned to the Tarkwa Police after an initial report to them with the medical report.

She also hired a private detective to help track down the Indian molester who she had captured in a video on her phone.

Her attempts to get the Tarkwa Police to follow up on the issue proved futile, forcing her to fall on the Nsuta Police to effect his arrest.

Her confidence in the police began to shrink after their suspicious conduct with the bosses of the Indian suspect.

‘Out of court settlement’

According to the woman, who spoke to Citi News’ Caleb Kudah, in the course of pursuing the matter, the Indian suspect sought an out of court settlement but soon changed his mind, saying he was ready to face the court.

‘Don’t jail him’

To further hurt her heart, Afiba lamented how the police prosecutor impressed on the judge that presided over the matter in court to fine the suspect rather than to jail him.

She said she was forced to bitterly watch the police negotiate the compensation from an initial GHS8,400 suggested by the judge, to GHS4,200.

‘Seeking justice’

Afiba is seeking justice for her 3-year-old daughter whose genitals have been bruised by an Indian national, and betrayed by law enforcement body in her own country to sell her daughter’s rights for GHS4,200.

Click below to listen to Caleb Kudah’s full report.

–
By: Jonas Nyabor & Caleb Kudah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 3-yr-old ‘sexually abused’ by Indian in swimming pool, mother seeks justice appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This is because the age of one of the suspects has been challenged by the Attorney General’s department.

[contextly_sidebar id=”UjC8gDaKcY9HqdyRXJ29NNoS8CEN24MV”]The AG’s Department contends that one of the suspects is aged over 18 years, and is now pushing for the case to be tried in a regular court.

Thus the suspects were released as initial charges of conspiracy to rape and defilement were dropped, but they were rearrested by police immediately after the in-camera hearing at the Asokwa District Court.

The case has now been referred to an open court to continue with proceedings.

But one of the lawyers for the suspects, E. O. Opoku, insisted to Citi News that his clients were juveniles since their ages had not yet been proven.

The lawyer said he had submitted birth certificates “of some of them” which proved they are juveniles.

“The AG is making a case that one of them is not a juvenile and is therefore praying the court to send the case to a court of summary jurisdiction… We are saying that the court cannot make the referral to the Court of Summary jurisdiction on the basis that no determination has been made as to the age of the children. To us, they are all juveniles and must be tried by the juvenile court.”

In December 2017, three suspects were initially arrested 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.

Two more persons have since been arrested for their alleged involvement in the sexual assault since the beginning of 2018.

–

By: Hafiz Tijani/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post AG wants Bantama sexual assault suspects tried as adults appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

They are to re-appear on  10th January 2018. A recording of the act went viral on social media, prompting public uproar and subsequent action by the police.

[contextly_sidebar id=”QNXhVHj6fNXCOOXgZ201JKIprFL5XTPI”]Relatives of the suspects trooped to the Asokwa District Court today [Wednesday] to witness proceedings.

Three other suspects are reportedly on the run, after one reported himself to the police bringing the arrested suspects to four.

Speaking to journalists after today’s [Wednesday] hearing, Lawyer for the accused persons, John Boamah, emphasized the need for patience to be exercised in prosecuting the suspects, saying“We need not be in a rush for the matter to be prosecuted. What the prosecution is saying is that there is the need for further investigations to be done. Just last week we had information that one of the juveniles has been arrested. It means more work has to be done and on the basis of that and in the wisdom of the court, the juveniles are in the legal custody in the sense that they have been remanded into juvenile cells where parents have the right to visit them.”

“ The first time they came was not a period for the juvenile court to sit so the Police had to send them back to the police cells, so in the legal sense, the way the attention is being given will never help matters. Now as it stands, so many legal issues and factual issues are yet to be determined, matters relating to juveniles. The age is of essence as to whether or not Police have been able to determine the ages is very important. We need to exercise a bit of patience.”

The three boys were arrested 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 in confirming the arrest of the first three suspects, revealed that they were Junior High School and Senior High School students, but refused to reveal their ages.

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Hearing of Bantama sexual assault case resumes on Jan. 10 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Juvenile Court, was presided over by His Worship, Peter Oppong Boahen, at the Asokwa District Court.

[contextly_sidebar id=”9JtHhlVbts0LHjCKlo5dK9Ao74IUcxhj”]According to the lawyer for the suspects, John Boamah, the prosecution told the court that they are still investigating the matter.

“We will come back next week for determination of the matter. With juvenile cases when we talk of remands, they could be in the custody of their parents or they may be in the juvenile cells that’s all, we do not remand them. According to the police, investigation is still ongoing, so not until the matter is proved that they are guilty, we don’t need to have any further discussion that is my humble prayer to the press, so we need to keep calm, at the end of the trial, the truth will come to light”he said.

Proceedings will be in-camera because the suspects are juveniles.

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.

–

By: Hafiz Tijani&Farida Yusif/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Sexual assault suspects remanded, hearing resumes on Dec. 27 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

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

[contextly_sidebar id=”0RKZYSWaHA59G48x49g6tQXpJEweLQTt”]Police say the ages given by the suspects are still a subject for investigations, although it is quite clear that they are minors.

According to the Head of Legal and Prosecution at the Ashanti Regional Police Command, ACP Okyere Darko, the three suspects have been charged with rape and sexual assault.

ACP Darko, who declined speaking on record, told Citi News that two of the suspects mentioned their ages to be 16 and 17.

He said the Police are however investigating to ascertain their real ages.

Citi News sources say, the police have since identified parents of the traumatized victim who was reportedly evasive in opening up during the investigation process.

The sources added that, the victim is receiving special care from the police, and is undergoing medical examination.

The incident, which has taken centre stage in public discussions, has received widespread condemnation.

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 could not reveal their ages.

The whereabouts of the four accomplices are still unknown.

–

By: Hafiz Tijani/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Police to investigate ages of Bantama sexual assault suspects appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The movement is most closely associated with the #MeToo hashtag which sprung up as allegations emerged against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

But Time says the hashtag is “part of the picture, but not all of it”.

“This is the fastest-moving social change we’ve seen in decades,” editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal said.

He told NBC’s Today programme that it “began with individual acts of courage by hundreds of women – and some men, too – who came forward to tell their own stories”.

The magazine illustrates the ubiquitous nature of sexual harassment by showcasing women from markedly different backgrounds on its cover.

Two celebrities are featured – Ashley Judd, one of the first to speak out against Mr Weinstein, and pop singer Taylor Swift, who won a civil case against an ex-DJ who she said had grabbed her bottom.

They are shown alongside Isabel Pascual, a 42-year-old strawberry picker from Mexico (not her real name); Adama Iwu, a 40-year-old corporate lobbyist in Sacramento; and Susan Fowler, 26, a former Uber engineer whose allegation brought down Uber’s CEO.

But many more people are identified as part of the movement behind the cover shot.

This “moment”, the magazine says, “doesn’t have a leader, or a single, unifying tenet. The hashtag #MeToo (swiftly adapted into #BalanceTonPorc, #YoTambien, #Ana_kaman and many others), which to date has provided an umbrella of solidarity for millions of people to come forward with their stories, is part of the picture, but not all of it…

“The women and men who have broken their silence span all races, all income classes, all occupations and virtually all corners of the globe.”

But, it says, collectively they have helped turn shame into outrage and fear into fury, put thousands of people on to the streets demanding change, and seen a slew of powerful men held accountable for their behaviour.

Those featured include Tarana Burke, the activist who created the #MeToo hashtag more than a decade ago, the actor Alyssa Milano who helped it explode on social media last October, actor Terry Crews, a group of hotel workers who have filed a lawsuit against their employer, State Senator Sara Gelser, an anonymous hospital worker who fears losing her job if she speaks openly, and Megyn Kelly, the former Fox News journalist whom Donald Trump accused of having “blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever” after she moderated a debate during the presidential campaign.

Ironically, President Trump – whose election Ms Kelly said was a “setback for women” that helps explain the #MeToo movement – was named as runner-up for Person of the Year this year, having been given the title last year.

The magazine’s tradition – begun in 1927 as “Man of the Year” – recognises the person who “for better or for worse… has done the most to influence the events of the year”.

The great majority of people selected have been individuals – but by no means all. In 2014, “Ebola fighters” were recognised while in 2011 “The Protester” acknowledged the significance of the so-called Arab Spring.

It was in 1950, the magazine explains, that the “mould was broken” and “The American fighting-man” was chosen, to be followed by Hungarians in 1956 and later on Scientists, Americans under 25 and Mr and Mrs Middle America.

In 2006, the Person of the Year was simply “You”, with a mirror cover design, reflecting the importance of user-generated internet content.

–

Source: BBC

The post Time honours abuse ‘silence breakers’ as Person of the Year appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Mail Online has published what it says is a police report dating from 1986, which detailed the allegations.

The young woman did not press charges, the report said, because she was “humiliated and ashamed”, as well as being “scared”. No action was taken.

The Rocky star’s spokeswoman said the story was “categorically false”.

Michelle Bega described the allegation as “ridiculous”, adding: “No one was ever aware of this story until it was published today, including Mr Stallone.

“At no time was Mr Stallone ever contacted by any authorities or anyone else regarding this matter.”

The alleged victim said she became intimidated and frightened when the star’s bodyguard became involved in the incident in a hotel room, according to the 12-page police report.

The report says the girl alleged they met in July 1986 in what was then the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel when she got an autograph from Stallone, then 40.

She claimed a bodyguard gave her keys to a hotel room, where she later had sex with both men.

The officer wrote: “She said that after she got dressed, Stallone made the comment to her that they were both married men and that she could not tell anybody about the incident and if she did, that they would have to beat her head in.”

Case dropped
A separate report from the sexual assault unit stated the men then laughed, “and she took it as a joke also”, but after the alleged victim left the room she “became very distraught and frightened, and wasn’t sure that that threat had been a joke after all”.

It added that she said she was not physically forced to have intercourse but felt “intimidated”.

Stallone was in Las Vegas at the time making the film Over the Top. His bodyguard, Mike de Luca, was shot dead by police in California four years ago.

The allegations were previously published by the Baltimore Post-Examiner last February. Ms Bega declined to comment further when asked if Stallone was aware of them.

The Mail said retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department detective sergeant John Samolovitch vouched that “the copy of the police report is in fact a true copy of the original report”. The force is yet to comment.

Stallone’s denial comes in the wake of allegations made against key Hollywood figures including Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Louis CK.

–

Source: BBC

The post Sylvester Stallone denies sexually assaulting 16-year-old fan appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.