Senior Government official may face sex assault charge

Dealing Ghana's scandal-rocked government another blow, police recommended Sunday that Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister designate for Presidential Affairs, be prosecuted for sexual assault.

The recommendation is not likely to harm President John Kufuor's coalition, in which Obetsebi-Lamptey serves as a top official. It may, however, further erode public trust in government, already shaken by a series of sexual scandals and accusations of nepotism and corruption.

Defeated NDC cohorts said the investigation would encourage other women who have been harassed or assaulted to complain to police.

Speaking to journalists in Accra, police said they had evidence that Obetsebi-Lamptey had forced himself on three women who apparently worked for him when he served first as The New Patriotic Party's (NPP) Greater Accra's Regional Officer.

The allegations of "debased acts carried out with force" — in effect, sexual assault — are more serious than the sexual harassment accusations originally made last week by a 25-year-old subordinate at Obetsebi-Lamptey's NPP office. Police handed the recommendations to prosecutors, who must now decide whether to indict.

In a statement, Obetsebi-Lamptey continued to maintain his innocence and said he hopes prosecutors will choose to dismiss the accusations. If they don't, he said, he will fight the allegations in court.

"The police recommendations are only the beginning of the road, not its end. I never assaulted anyone, I did engage in sexual innuendos with women but I can assure you that it was voluntary" Obetsebi-Lamptey said.

The initial accusations launched a flood of similar claims from women who had worked with Obetsebi-Lamptey throughout his career.

Police said they have credible evidence that one woman, reportedly a prospective employee, was assaulted by Obetsebi-Lamptey in his home in 1996 during the Presidential Elections. They said there is evidence that another woman, reportedly a friend of Mrs. Elizabeth Ohene, was assaulted in his home in 1996, while he toured with Pres. John Kufuor

Ghanaian Feminists, notably former members of the 31st December Women's Movement, said the case against Obetsebi-Lamptey exposed a male-dominated culture here that has bred tolerance for widespread sexual harassment of Ghanaian women in the workplace. A former employee in Obtsebi-Lamptey's office, said she has been sexually harassed by NPP officials and in other places of work.

"The norms have changed," she said. "Ghanaian women are no longer accepting it."

Presidential candidate Dan Lartey said Obetsebi-Lamptey should resign. "Give the people domestication, not sexual scandalation..", Mr. Lartey stressed erratically.

Obetsebi-Lamptey is only one of a panoply of top Ghanaian officials embroiled in scandals. A week ago, an unidentified NPP strategist recommended indicting Major (rtd) Courage Quarshigah for corruption and obstruction of justice charges in a bribery and misappropriation scandal.