{"id":110716,"date":"2015-04-22T19:08:38","date_gmt":"2015-04-22T19:08:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=110716"},"modified":"2015-04-22T20:15:59","modified_gmt":"2015-04-22T20:15:59","slug":"kkd-case-prosecutors-wouldve-wasted-tax-payers-money-lawyer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2015\/04\/kkd-case-prosecutors-wouldve-wasted-tax-payers-money-lawyer\/","title":{"rendered":"KKD case: Prosecutors would’ve ‘wasted tax payers’ money – Lawyer"},"content":{"rendered":"

A private legal practitioner, Waheed Bampuri, has commended the Attorney General (AG) for filing a nolle prosequi in the rape case involving ace broadcaster, Kwesi Kyei Darkwa (KKD).<\/p>\n

[contextly_sidebar id=”rnRNir07Ctk52RQVtZG6XMAiEKdgJ23T”]Lawyer Bampuri said\u00a0he was certain the\u00a0AG realised that her outfit was using \u00a0tax payers money in prosecuting “so if they realize that it is likely to be a waste of the tax payers money, I think the proper thing for her to do is to withdraw from this matter.”<\/p>\n

He explained that a cursory look at the circumstances surrounding the case indicates that discharging KKD is the best interest of the alleged 19-year-old victim,\u00a0Ewuraffe Orleans Thompson.<\/p>\n

KKD was on Wednesday discharged by the court<\/strong><\/a><\/span> after the state prosecutors filed a nolle prosequi a day before the court hearing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that looking at the circumstances of the case, the Attorney General has come to realize that under the circumstances, it\u2019s only proper for them to enter a case of nolle prosequi in the matter,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n

\"KKD<\/a>
KKD being led out of the court<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A statement from the Attorney General (AG) explained among other things that a nolle prosequi was filed because the victim had indicated that she is highly traumatized from the incident and its aftermath thereby rendering her incapable appearing in court.<\/p>\n

The AG further stated that the other witnesses in this case who are mostly family members of Ewureffe are also unwilling to testify.<\/p>\n

The AG vowed to continue the prosecution<\/strong> <\/span><\/a>of the alleged rape case\u00a0despite the victim\u2019s request<\/strong><\/span><\/a> for the court to drop the matter.<\/p>\n

A seven-member jury<\/strong><\/span><\/a> was scheduled to be selected to hear the case until Wednesday\u2019s development.<\/p>\n

However, in an interview on Eyewitness News<\/strong>, Lawyer Bampuri said despite all odds, the AG \u201cbravely held on to this case even though it was obvious that as at now, the victim was not ready to give evidence in court.\u201d<\/p>\n

AG can continue the case anytime<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lawyer Bampuri however warned that the AG can at any time deceide to continue the prosecution of the case.<\/p>\n

He pointed out that filing a nolle prosequi, \u201cdoesn\u2019t mean that the case cannot come up again. It only means that the accused person has been discharged but he has not been acquitted and discharged.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added that in the matters of nolle prosequi, \u201cit means you are not willing to prosecute but it does not mean that the person has been acquitted and discharged.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lawyer observed that the means the AG used to discontinue the case gives her the power to come back whenever the circumstances change.<\/p>\n

Don’t blame the victim<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lawyer Bampuri\u00a0however cautioned that it is unfair for a section of the public to suggest that the alleged victim must be prosecuted for refusing to testify thereby helping to conceal a crime against herself.<\/p>\n

“I know that we all feel very strongly about issues of sexual offences, rape and other things but in as much as we feel that way, let us look at the circumstances of the victim,” he advised.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By: Efua Idan Osam\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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