Soldier held over defilement granted GH¢100,000.00 bail

A 30-year-old soldier accused of having sex on multiple occasions with a 14-year-old girl at Burma Camp, Accra has been admitted to bail by an Accra Circuit Court.

Corporal Offei Richard Okyere was admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢100,000.00 with two sureties, who are to be public servants earning not less than GH¢2,000.00.

The Court presided over by Mrs. Christiana Cann indicated that the complainant had written to the court to withdraw the matter.

Prosecuting Detective Sergeant Opoku Aniagyie said he had seen the withdrawal letter but the Police were going to pursue the case.

When the matter was called, the complainant was not in court.

The court therefore ordered the complainant to appear in court at the next adjourned to explain the withdrawal letter. The matter has been adjourned to February 3.

Cpl Okyere who has been charged with defilement, has pleaded not guilty.

The facts as presented by Detective Sergeant Aniagyei are that; the complainant is a 53-year-old labourer of the Ghana Military Police residing at Burma Camp, Accra.

The Prosecution said the victim was a 14-year-old Junior High School student, residing with the father who was the complainant in the case.

Detective Sergeant Aniagyei said Okyere was also residing at Burma Camp and that the complainant and Okyere worked in the same Regiment and were very good friends.

The Prosecution said between July and September last year, Okyere took advantage of the friendship between him and the complainant and paid visits to the complainant’s house.

He said whiles the complainant was away, Okyere lured the victim into their room and had sexual intercourse with the victim in a sofa chair.

The prosecution said on another occasion, Okyere had sex with the victim on the complainant’s bed.

He said not satisfied with the sexual advances, Okyere took the victim to a nearby bush about 200 meters away from the victim’s house and had sex with her.

The prosecution said on December 15, last year, the victim’s elder sister questioned whether she was a virgin and the victim denied being one.

This, the prosecution said made the complainant suspicious and he asked the victim who broke her virginity and she mentioned Okyere as the one who had been having sexual intercourse with her.

He said on December 16, last year, the complainant reported the matter to one Military Police Officer and they arrested Okyere who was detained in a guardroom.

The Prosecution said the Military Police issued a medical form to the complainant to seek treatment for the victim at any government hospital.

The prosecution said a medical report was submitted on the victim after medical examination on January 2, this year.

He said later, the complainant, the victim and Okyere were brought to the Domestic Violence and Victim’s Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service in Accra by the Military Police.