Entertainment of Wednesday, 10 December 2003

Source: --

Bob Okalla denies defiling girl

Ace comedian 'Bishop' Bob Okalla (Samuel Buabeng) on Wednesday told the Sunyani circuit court that he was framed up by the 15-year-old girl who alleged that he defiled her at Nkoranza.

The 46-year-old comedian pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault and defilement on his first appearance on June 2 and was remanded. He said on October 10 last year he and his group travelled to Nkoranza for a show and when they got there at about 1330 hours a large crowd followed them to Mikesap Hotel where they lodged.

He said after the show at about 0400 hours the next day they went back to the hotel and rested for some time before they left for Accra.Okalla said he slept in his room alone and that it was never true that the girl accompanied the group back to the hotel where it is alleged he forcibly had sexual intercourse with her.

''Nobody confronted me at the hotel about the alleged offence and whilst on our way back to Accra too none of my colleagues told me anything about the alleged incident.''

'Bishop' Okalla said he was surprised to hear the alleged incident on the radio and when he read about it in some newspapers he reported himself at the Women and Juvenile Unit (WAJU) in Sunyani.

He said he denied the alleged incident in his statement to the police but was detained to assist the police in their investigations for some days before he was put before the court.