Court remands motor mechanic for defilement

The Hohoe Circuit Court has remanded Newton Obiri Eli, a 40 year-old motor mechanic into prison custody for defilement and threat of death.

Newton pleaded not guilty to the counts and will reappear in court on August 13.

Presenting the facts of the case to the court presided over by Mr. Yaw Poku Achampong, Police Detective Inspector George Doe said the complainant was a trader and a resident of Hohoe-Torkorni.

He said the accused was a 40 year-old motor mechanic who resides at Gbi-Abansi while the victim, a 14 year-old class six pupil who lives with the complainant being her stepfather.

The prosecution said on Wednesday, July 24, this year at about 2100 hours, the victim paid a visit to her uncle, one Adzaga at Hohoe Zongo to collect money from him but did not meet the uncle in the house.

He said the victim whiles returning home went to attend to nature’s call near Hohoe-Torkorni after which she met one of her friends and engaged in a conversation.

Inspector Doe said the accused person suddenly popped up at the scene and without any provocation, slapped the victim’s friend and asked him to go home.

He said the accused person then told the victim that he was sending her to her house but on the way he took the victim to a nearby school.

Inspector Doe said the victim resisted, saying that was not the way to her home but the accused person pulled out a knife and threatened to kill her if she did not succumb.

He said the accused person then kicked the victim onto the ground, forcibly removed her pants and had sexual intercourse with at a nearby plantain farm resulting in the victim bleeding from her vagina and staining her pants.

Inspector Doe said the victim informed her parents about her ordeal and complaint was made to the Hohoe Divisional Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) office the next day.

He said a medical report form was issued to the complainant to send the victim to the hospital for medical examination.

Inspector Doe said on July 29, 2019, the complainant returned the form, which was endorsed by a medical doctor confirming that the victim’s vagina had been penetrated.

He said a few days later, the victim identified the accused around the place where the incident happened, leading to his arrest.

The prosecution said the accused person admitted slapping the victim’s friend but denied the other offences during police interrogation.