Six students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology(KNUST) have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a level 100 student on campus.
The suspects, all level 200 students, have been remanded into police custody by the Asokore Mampong District Court today, Wednesday, 3 August 2022.
One of the six students, who is reported to be the boyfriend of the victim, invited her to his room on Friday, 29 July 2022.
While in the room, five of his colleagues entered and took turns in raping her while the boyfriend covered her mouth and held her down.
University Relations Officer of KNUST, Dr. Daniel Norris Bekoe, confirmed to The Ghana Report that the school authorities have received a report of the issue but refrained from giving further details.
The lawyer for the six accused persons, Richard Adu Darko, has said that his clients are innocent as the facts presented against them do not point to rape.
“Looking at the facts which have been presented to us, honestly we don’t see rape but that’s what they have been accused of and once someone is accused, the law says the person is innocent until proven guilty or the person pleads otherwise.
“So, now until they plead that they are guilty or a court of competent jurisdiction finds them guilty, they are innocent. At this material moment, this is a court of the first instance and they have been brought here for purposes of remanding them into lawful custody,” he stated to the media.
He averred that he will go through the appropriate medium to secure bail for his clients to allow them to write their end-of-semester exams.
The case has been adjourned to Wednesday, 17 August 2022.
Similar Incident
Meanwhile, another gang rape case at the same university is pending in court.
A final year student and a police officer gang raped a level 100 student on 19 July 2022.
The police officer stationed at Bomso and his accomplice have been arrested and remanded in police custody.
They were arraigned before the Asokore Mampong District Court on Thursday, 28 July 2022.
On 19 July 2022, Osei Owusu lured the victim, who sells female clothing online, to his hostel under the pretense of supplying her with clothes that would make her more profits.
Upon reaching his room, he forced her to undress, had unprotected sexual intercourse with her, and went ahead to record the act on camera.
Afterwards, he brought in his accomplice, Lance Corporal Adu Poku, armed with a pistol, to also forcibly have sexual intercourse with the victim.
The traumatized victim later reported the issue to the authorities of KNUST, who decided to report it to the police on 21 July 2022.
The suspects were charged with two counts – conspiracy to commit rape and rape.
The duo will reappear before the court on 10 August 2022.
ACP Kofi Blagodzi, the prosecutor, spoke to the media on the fate of Lance Corporal Poku after he was remanded.
“Lance Corporal Frank Adu Poku has been interdicted by the police administration to ensure thorough investigation in the said alleged rape case,” he said.
He also added that the police would not shield any officer who commits such a crime.