Crime & Punishment of Wednesday, 14 November 2018

Source: ghananewsagency.org

Coach acquitted and discharged over ‘fingering’ a minor

The coach was found innocent of the charges The coach was found innocent of the charges

An Accra Circuit Court on Monday acquitted and discharged Henry Allotey, a local football team coach who was accused of inserting his fingers into the private part of a six-year-old girl.

Allotey who had pleaded not guilty to the indecent assault was found innocent of the crime after the trial.

Prosecuting, Detective Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire told the Court presided over by Jane Harriett Akweley Quaye that Sylvester Odame, the one who reported the case to the Police, is the senior brother of the girl.

Allotey, the Prosecution said was their neighbour and on January 07, 2017, at about 0930 hours, the victim was caught by her aunty inserting her fingers into the private part of her little cousin in bed.

The Prosecution said when the victim was interrogated and she revealed that it was Allotey who initiated her into the practice by “fingering” her anytime she was sent to him for the past six years, stressing that the last one happened on December 14, 2016.

Armed with this information, a formal complaint was lodged with the Dansoman Domestic Violence and Victim’s Support Unit, where a police medical report form was issued for the victim to be sent to the hospital.

The Prosecution said Allotey was subsequently arrested.

The court found that the statements and medical examination reports were conflicting as there was no sign of penetration, it, therefore, acquitted and discharged the accused.