Fresh charges preferred against suspects in gang-rape case in Kumasi

The Asokwa District Court in Kumasi has discharged all five persons brought before it in connection with the suspected gang-rape case in which seven juveniles were alleged to have sexually molested a girl at Bantama about a month ago. 

Briefing the media after the hearing, the Head of Legal and Prosecutions at the Ashanti Regional Police Command, ACP Okyere Darko, said the Court’s decision follows a submission by a Principal State Attorney that one of the accused is above 17 years and can be tried by a Court of Summary jurisdiction.

However, immediately after their discharge by the District Court, the Police re-arrested all the accused persons, handcuffed and sent them into Police custody to be arraigned before another Court today January 18 for fresh charges to be preferred against them. 

According to ACP Okyere Darko, in cases where a juvenile being tried by a Court is found to be aged 17 years or above, they could be tried in an open court. 

However, when it gets to the sentencing stage, the minors will be referred to the juvenile Court for sentencing.

But Counsel for one of the juveniles, E.O. Opoku disagreed with the District Court saying that the prosecution has still not been able to clearly establish the real ages of the accused persons.

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