A witness in 'Bob Okala' case accuse policeman

Sunyani, Sept. 23, GNA- A prosecution witness in a defilement case against ace comedian 'Bishop' Bob Okala on Monday threw the audience at the Sunyani circuit court into prolonged laughter when she said the policeman who took her statement after the incident was drunk. "Constable Gabriel Eduful was drunk because he smelt of alcohol as he spoke to me", Ms Hannah Twenewaa, 18, a trader and sister of the 15-year-old victim said.
'Bishop' Okala, 46, whose real name is Samuel Buabeng, allegedly defiled the girl at Nkoranza in Brong Ahafo where his group had gone to perform a concert.
He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault and defilement and was granted 150 million cedis bail with one surety to be justified.
Ms Twenewaa made the accusation against the policeman when Mr Otu Essel, counsel for the accused told her that her evidence in court conflicted with what she gave to the police, especially her age which she told the police as 20, but mentioned 18 in court.
She insisted that she mentioned 18 years to the police, who probably could not get her right "because he was drunk".
Witness told the court she went to the concert show on that day with her sister at the hotel but returned home earlier to take care of her one year-old baby girl leaving her sister behind.
Ms Twenewaa said the sister came back home in the early hours of the following morning "but as she went to the bathroom to have her bath I saw her pants soaked with blood".
When I asked her what had happened she refused to tell me, but one Kwame Asiedu and Kwasi told me about the matter, she said.
She said they quickly went to the hotel with the sister and reported to the hotel manager who brought out from Okala's room a bed sheet soaked with blood.
Witness said Okala was no where to be found so they approached "Asase Aban", a colleague comedian who told them Okala left that very night after the show.
She said Abusua Panin "Judas", another comedian, who came to the scene gave the victim 20,000 cedis to buy drugs and asked her not to inform anybody about her ordeal.
Ms Twenewaah said whilst on their way back home, the vehicle conveying the comedians bypassed them and they saw Okala in it. She said the sister bled for two weeks but she could not send her to hospital because they did not have money and their parents had also travelled out of town.
When their mother was informed about the matter on her return, she reported the matter to the Chief of Nkoranza who gave them money to send the girl to hospital, where it was detected that the victim had been sexually abused.
Asked by counsel why they failed to report the incident to the police for two months, witness said she could not answer the question because the mother was the best person to do so.
The facts of the case are that the accused, whilst at Nkoranza with the Key Soap Concert Party for a show on October 10, last year, lured the victim to his hotel room and forcibly had sex with her.
He said the victim later became seriously sick and when questioned by her mother, she narrated what transpired between her and the accused. The case is adjourned till October 13, 2003.

Sunyani, Sept. 23, GNA- A prosecution witness in a defilement case against ace comedian 'Bishop' Bob Okala on Monday threw the audience at the Sunyani circuit court into prolonged laughter when she said the policeman who took her statement after the incident was drunk. "Constable Gabriel Eduful was drunk because he smelt of alcohol as he spoke to me", Ms Hannah Twenewaa, 18, a trader and sister of the 15-year-old victim said.
'Bishop' Okala, 46, whose real name is Samuel Buabeng, allegedly defiled the girl at Nkoranza in Brong Ahafo where his group had gone to perform a concert.
He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault and defilement and was granted 150 million cedis bail with one surety to be justified.
Ms Twenewaa made the accusation against the policeman when Mr Otu Essel, counsel for the accused told her that her evidence in court conflicted with what she gave to the police, especially her age which she told the police as 20, but mentioned 18 in court.
She insisted that she mentioned 18 years to the police, who probably could not get her right "because he was drunk".
Witness told the court she went to the concert show on that day with her sister at the hotel but returned home earlier to take care of her one year-old baby girl leaving her sister behind.
Ms Twenewaa said the sister came back home in the early hours of the following morning "but as she went to the bathroom to have her bath I saw her pants soaked with blood".
When I asked her what had happened she refused to tell me, but one Kwame Asiedu and Kwasi told me about the matter, she said.
She said they quickly went to the hotel with the sister and reported to the hotel manager who brought out from Okala's room a bed sheet soaked with blood.
Witness said Okala was no where to be found so they approached "Asase Aban", a colleague comedian who told them Okala left that very night after the show.
She said Abusua Panin "Judas", another comedian, who came to the scene gave the victim 20,000 cedis to buy drugs and asked her not to inform anybody about her ordeal.
Ms Twenewaah said whilst on their way back home, the vehicle conveying the comedians bypassed them and they saw Okala in it. She said the sister bled for two weeks but she could not send her to hospital because they did not have money and their parents had also travelled out of town.
When their mother was informed about the matter on her return, she reported the matter to the Chief of Nkoranza who gave them money to send the girl to hospital, where it was detected that the victim had been sexually abused.
Asked by counsel why they failed to report the incident to the police for two months, witness said she could not answer the question because the mother was the best person to do so.
The facts of the case are that the accused, whilst at Nkoranza with the Key Soap Concert Party for a show on October 10, last year, lured the victim to his hotel room and forcibly had sex with her.
He said the victim later became seriously sick and when questioned by her mother, she narrated what transpired between her and the accused. The case is adjourned till October 13, 2003.