Deeba challenges extradition order

Ghanaian fugitive and Hiplife artist musician, Deeba Acheampong, filed a formal appeal at the Accra Fast Track High Court challenging the order for his extradition to the United Kingdom where he is wanted for prosecution.

The appeal, which was filed on July 15, by his counsel, Augustine Obour, is expected to be heard on July 22, by the court, presided over by Justice Edward Amoako Asante.

His lawyers had earlier filed a habeas corpus application, which they argued constituted an appeal in an extradition proceeding, but the court disagreed with them, describing that argument as unfounded in law.

Consequently, it gave the musician up to yesterday to file a proper appeal, setting out the grounds, and serve it on the attorney General’s Department.

At the court’s sitting yesterday, it emerged that the appeal had not been placed on the court records but further checks revealed it had been filed. The court, thus, adjourned the case to Monday.

Deeba who is alleged to have raped his own eight -year old step daughter in the United Kingdom was on June 7,2013 ordered by the District Magistrate Court in Accra to be extradited to the UK for prosecution on charges of rape, after it found, as a fact, that a prima facie case has been made against him.

At court’s last sitting on July 11, M. Obour prayed the court to order the Registrar of District Court to forward the entire record of the proceedings in Deeba’s extradition trial to the High Court for it to determine the daily basis of the committal of the fugitive.

He told the court that they were challenging the order of the District Magistrate, saying, “we believe the District Court erred, and that it is not as if the order of the lower court is final in the case.”

“We hold that there is no treaty between Ghana and UK,” he said adding “it is fair that the record is transferred so that we argue again as to whether the order was right or not”.