Deeba’s Counsel Request For Documents

By Helena Selby

Counsel for a popular Ghanaian musician, Deeba Acheamopng, who allegedly defiled and assaulted his step- daughters in the UK yesterday, demanded the court to furnish him with all the documents pertaining to the case brought against his client.

Mr. Augustines Obour, who had just taken up the case, told the court that his request for the documents was to enable him study them, in order to defend his client appropriately. According to him, he needs to do some research so as to arrive at a decision.

The court, presided over by Mr. Aboagye Tando, therefore, stated that he is mindful of the rights of the accused person which must be protected, but expressed the need to deal with the issues properly.

According to the court, it will ensure that the counsel gets all the necessary documents from the registry, emphasizing that the court will not tolerate an attempt at delaying the extradition process.

The presiding judge further noted that defense counsel should draw the attention of the court should anyone attempts to prevent him from obtaining the documents.

The one time award-winning musician is currently facing five counts of defilement and assault under Ghana’s laws, raping a female under the age of 13 and assaulting a minor under the United Kingdom’s laws. His plea has not yet been taken.

The facts of the case are that in December 2012, INTERPOL-Accra, received a request of arrest warrant from its counterpart in London, indicating that between 2004 and 2008, while living in the UK, the accused person had a relationship with a woman who already had two daughters, aged eight and six, from her previous relationship.

The Principal State Attorney, Mrs. Yvonne Atokora Obuobisa noted that Deeba and the woman subsequently had two children from their union.

Initially, they lived separately, but when the woman went on night shift, Deeba took care of the home and cared for the children.

The prosecutor further indicated that the accused person engaged in that misconduct until September 2008, when he returned to Ghana to pursue his musical career.

However, she said two weeks after his departure from the UK, Deeba’s step-daughter told her mother that her step-father had sexual intercourse with her on several occasions, whenever her mother went to work in the night.

According to the prosecutor, on those occasions, Deeba invited the little girl into the bedroom to watch pornographic films with him, after which he would lay her on the bed, kiss her mouth, apply baby oil on his penis and have sex with her.

The prosecutor told the court that the little girl also alleged that the accused person sometimes had anal sex with her, and that after each act he put a sanitary towel in her panties to avoid evidence of bloodstains and also hide his stained bed sheet.

The victim, who is eight years old, further alleged that Deeba threatened to beat her if she disclosed the act to anyone.

Deeba, the prosecutor noted, assaulted the little girl’s sister, who is six years old, between June 1 and 4, 2008, when she attempted to satisfy her inquisitiveness about what was happening to her sister, and that led to a cut on the back of the girl’s head.

The Principal State Attorney stated that a medical examination on the little girl by a forensic physician, Dr. Ainsley Kassie, revealed extensive damage to her hymen as a result of vaginal penetration.

“Deeba was said to have denied the offence when he was confronted by his fiancée, who later lodged a complaint with the police, following which a warrant was issued by the Northampton-Shire Magistrate’s Court for the arrest of the accused person.

Deeba was arrested at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra during an undercover operation. He has, however, denied the offence in his caution statement to the police”, the prosecutor told the court.

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