| General News
[ 2015-04-23 ]
KKD rape case was dropped because victim was unwilling to testify – AG The Attorney General, Marrietta Oppong-Brew has
disclosed that it dropped the rape case against
ace broadcaster Kwasi Kyei Darkwah (KKD) because
the alleged victim was unwilling to testify.
The state filed a Nolle Prosequi Wednesday,
indicating the state was no longer interested in
prosecuting KKD, who was standing trial for
allegedly raping Miss Ewuraffe Orleans Thompson.
The Airport Police arrested KKD on December 27,
2014 after a 19-year-old lady, Miss Ewuraffe
Orleans Thompson, accused him of raping her in a
hotel washroom.
State prosecutors had vowed to prosecute KKD even
though the alleged victim, 19-yar-old Ewuraffe
Orleans Thompson had written to them declaring her
disinterest in the case.
They, however, beat a retreat when the case was
called Wednesday.
Explaining the reasons why the state dropped the
case, the state in a communique said the decision
was taken because “the victim in this case
Ewureffe is still very unwilling to testify in
court. The victim states that she is highly
traumatized by the events of the day of the
incident and its aftermath and so is not in the
right frame of mind to appear before the
court.”
“The Attorney General believes that it is not in
the best interest of the victim and the
prosecution to present her before the court at
this point in time,” the statement added.
The AG stressed that it is mindful of the
provisions under the prosecutors code one of which
is that, the best interest of the victim is to be
considered in cases of this nature in deciding
whether to prosecute a case or not.
The statement also noted that “other witnesses
in this case, who are mostly family members of
Ewuraffe are also very unwilling to testify.”
The A-G's department, in spite of the challenges,
said it still believes in the case reserves the
right to commence the prosecution once the victim
and witnesses are ready.
Read the full statement below:
Reasons for issuing a Nolle Prosequi in the case
of Republic V Kwesi Kyei Darkwah
The victim in this case Ewureffe is still very
unwilling to testify in court. the victim states
that she is highly traumatized by the events of
the day of the incident and its aftermath and so
is not in the right frame of mind to appear before
the court. Thus the Attorney General believes that
it is not in the best interest of the victim and
the prosecution to present her before the court at
this point in time.
The AG is mindful of the provisions under the
prosecutors code one of which is that the best
interest of the victim is to be considered in
cases of this nature in deciding whether to
prosecute a case or not
The other witnesses in this case who are mostly
family members of Ewureffe are also very unwilling
to testify.
The Attorney General believed in the case and so
held on to it with hope that the witnesses will
willingly appear to testify when they are needed
by the court. this is not to say that the AG is
unaware of the various legal processes at her
disposal to compel the witnesses to appear before
the court.
It is to be noted that the Attorney General still
believes in the case and reserves the right to
commence the prosecution once the victim and
witnesses are ready
Signed.
Source - Attorney-General
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