Judge bemoans surge in rape, defilement cases

An Appeal Court Judge, Justice Clemence K. Honyenugah, has publicly denounced the growing cases of rape and defilement.

“We are not too happy with the increasing number of rape cases and defilement. It seems these offences are gaining momentum.”

He was speaking to journalists at Ankaful, where the Justice for All (JFA) programme was sitting to adjudicate remand prisoner cases.

Justice Honyenugah noted that at the JFA’s last year sitting, narcotic cases dominated but this time around rape and defilement took centre stage.

He said they would be happier if there were no remand cases in the prisons.

“Well, we can only bring the numbers down. It is natural that people will commit offences daily.”

At the Ankaful Maximum Prison Annex, three persons were discharged, one convicted, and six others granted bail.

Five had their bail application refused, while the case involving one of the remand prisoners was struck out and another referred for psychiatric treatment.

The Justice for All panel heard 17 cases at Ankaful and 12 at the Winneba Prisons.

Justice Honyenugah said the exercise had been smooth and commended POS Foundation, a human rights NGO, for taking up the cases of the prisoners on remand.