Barely a week after a 30-year-old man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for rape and robbery in Kumasi, a 50-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl and infecting her with HIV virus.
The Kumasi office of the Domestic Victims and Violence Support Unit (DVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service arrested the suspect, Charles Kofi Atta, aka Adable, a native of Bolgatanga, who claims to be a Principal Technical Officer of the Kwadaso Agriculture College.
The suspect had earlier given his name to the police as Charles Kofi Kuuire. He initially told the police that he was a technical officer at the Crops Research Institute at Fumesua in Kumasi.
A medical examination conducted on the victim has revealed that she had the HIV virus.
She has consequently been referred to the Voluntary Counselling and Testing Unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
The HIV Rapid Response Screening conducted at the Mediscience Laboratory Service at Bantama in Kumasi on August 19, 2009, proved positive.
Atta allegedly raped the victim four months ago and efforts by the police to arrest him proved futile until he was arrested last Thursday.
Police confirmed the arrest and told the Daily Graphic that the suspect would be arraigned as soon as investigations were completed.
Earlier, the victim told the Daily Graphic that the suspect, who had divorced his wife, used to be a family friend and had regularly advised her to refrain from indulging in any promiscuous lifestyle.
She said on the day in question, the suspect invited her to visit him at home for an urgent discussion, and considering the cordial relationship between them and the reputation he had built as a counsellor, she obliged.
She said when she reached the suspect’s residence, he quickly locked the door to the apartment, which is in a secluded area of Kokode in Kumasi, removed the keys, held her tightly and dragged her into his bedroom.
The victim said she protested vehemently when she got to know the amorous intentions of the suspect and drew his attention to the cordial relationship between them.
That notwithstanding, the suspect continued to hold her tightly and forcibly undressed her and had sex with her.
The victim added that she could not match the strength of the suspect and bled profusely from the sexual act.
She said because the incident took place in a secluded area, her continuous cry for help could not attract any attention, and this made it possible for the suspect to put her through a lengthy agony to satisfy his amorous instincts.
The girl said she informed her sister of her ordeal and she later reported the matter to the police, but efforts to arrest the suspect proved futile until last Thursday.
When the Ashanti Regional DOVVSU Police Commander, ASP George Appiah-Sakyi, was contacted, he confirmed that the suspect had been taken into police custody.
He said the police were considering conducting an HIV test on the suspect.
No comments:
Post a Comment