35-year-old Ahmed Rashid, aka Anaata, who has been accused of allegedly defiling several girls in the Wa Municipality, appeared before the Wa Circuit Court on Monday, 14 August 2023.

The accused, who has been charged with defilement among other charges, pleaded not guilty.

The court decided to sit daily beginning today, Tuesday, 15 August 2023.

The sitting will, however, be done in-camera.

The accused allegedly defiled over 12 children in the regional capital.

He was arrested on Friday, 4 August 2023 after being on the run for about two months.

On Monday, 7 August 2023, the Circuit Court remanded him after officially charging him with 12 counts of defilement.

His arrest came after a resident of Wa lodged a complaint against him with the Upper West Regional Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

The complaint alleged that Ahmed had engaged in acts of defilement involving more than 30 children in Wa, a revelation that has shaken the local community.